Roky Erickson (born Roger Kynard Erickson on July 15, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, harmonica player and guitarist from Texas. He was a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators and pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.

Erickson was interested in music from his youth: he played piano from age 5 and took up guitar at 10. He attended school in Austin and dropped out of Travis High School in 1965, one month before graduating, rather than cut his hair to conform to the school dress code.[2] His first notable group was The Spades, who scored a regional hit with Erickson`s song "We Sell Soul"; this song is included on the compilation album Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 17 (although the songwriter is identified as Emil Schwartze on the track listing on this album).

Erickson co-founded the 13th Floor Elevators in late 1965. He and bandmate Tommy Hall were the main songwriters. Early in her career, singer Janis Joplin considered joining the Elevators, but Family Dog`s Chet Helms persuaded her to go to San Francisco, California instead, where she found major fame.

In 1966 (Erickson was 19 years old) the band released their debut album The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators. Psychedelic Sounds had the band`s only charting single, Erickson`s "You`re Gonna Miss Me." A stinging post-romantic breakup song, the single remains probably Erickson`s best-known work: it was a major hit on local charts in the U.S. southwest, and appeared at lower position on national singles charts as well. Critic Mark Deming writes that "If Roky Erickson had vanished from the face of the earth after The 13th Floor Elevators released their epochal debut single, `You`re Gonna Miss Me,` in early 1966, in all likelihood he`d still be regarded as a legend among garage rock fanatics for his primal vocal wailing and feral harmonica work."[3]

In 1967, the band followed up with Easter Everywhere, perhaps the band`s most focused effort, featuring the epic track "Slip Inside This House", and a noted cover of Bob Dylan`s "It`s All Over Now, Baby Blue."

After the band`s third album, Live, which featured audience applause dubbed over studio recordings of cover versions and older material, The 13th Floor Elevators released their fourth and final album Bull of the Woods in 1968. Due to Erickson`s health and legal problems, his contribution to the album is limited, with guitarist Stacy Sutherland taking more of a leading role.

The impact of the impressive and unexpected arrival of the 13th Floor Elevators created an immediate inspiration and regarded as the creators of the term "Psychedelic" as well as creating the genre of "Psychedelic" sounds. Some associates of the Elevators unusual artistic and original sounds were The Red Krayola, The Moving Sidewalks, Max And The Laughing Kind, all originating from the 60`s Texas scene.

In 1968, while doing a stint at Hemisfair, Erickson started speaking nonsense. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and sent to a Houston psychiatric hospital, where he involuntarily received electroconvulsive therapy.[2]

The Elevators were vocal proponents of mescaline (peyote), LSD, and marijuana use, and were subject to extra attention from police. In 1969, Erickson was arrested for possession of one marijuana joint in Austin. Facing a ten-year prison term, Erickson pled not guilty by reason of insanity. He was first sent to the Austin State Hospital. After several escapes,