Anyone who knows R. Crumb’s work as an illustrator knows of his passion for music. And all those who collect his work prize the Heroes of the Blues, Early Jazz Greats, and Pioneers of Country Music trading card sets he created in the early to- mid-1980s. Now they are packaged together for the first time in book form, along with an exclusive 21-track CD of music selected and compiled by Crumb himself (featuring original recordings by Charley Patton, “Dock” Boggs, “Jelly Roll” Morton, and others). A bio of each musician is provided, along with a full-color original illustration by the cartoonist. A characteristically idiosyncratic tribute by an underground icon to the musical innovators who helped inspire him, R. Crumb’s Heroes of Blues, Jazz & Country is a must-have collection for Crumb aficionados, comics fans, and music lovers alike.

R. Crumb is the leading cartoonist in the American “underground comix” movement. He is the creator of Mr. Natural, the iconic “Keep on Truckin” T-shirt image, and Fritz the Cat. His book The R. Crumb Handbook was a Booksense bestseller. He lives in France.

Terry Zwigoff is the award-winning director of the documentary Crumb.

Stephen Calt, the author of two acclaimed musical biographies, lives in New York City.

David Jasen is the director of the Popular Music Archive at the C. W. Post Campus of Long Island University.