Michael McClure was born October 20, 1932 in Marysville, Kansas. McClure published his first book, PASSAGE, in 1956, a year after the reading at Six Gallery. He has produced 16 books of poetry, six collections of essays, two novels, and ten plays, including the Obie-winning JOSEPHINE: THE MOUSE SINGER and the notorious THE BEARD, shut down by police fourteen consecutive nights in Los Angeles. He is also co-writer, with Janis Joplin, of MERCEDES BENZ, and professor at California College of Arts and Crafts. Michael McClure remains active as a poet, essayist and playwright. His controversial plays, including THE BEARD and JOSEPHINE: THE MOUSE SINGER, were among the major theatre events of the 60's and 70's. In the early 90's he began collaborating on live poetry set to music by Ray Manzarek, the distinctive keyboardist from the Doors.
