Photo: Ron Baker (https://www.flickr.com/photos/kingsnake) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Roky Erickson is one of those artists who matters more than chart numbers ever suggest. As the leader of the 13th Floor Elevators, he helped invent psychedelic rock, and the label outsider genius fits him perfectly. What draws me in is the rawness and purity of his sound, made all the more haunting by the mental illness he battled while continuing to create. His later work with the Aliens, drenched in horror imagery, only deepened his singularity. He died in 2019, but the songs wrung from his suffering have not faded. He will never be for everyone, and that is exactly why he endures.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Roky Erickson
- Name (Japanese)
- ロッキー・エリクソン
- Reading
- ろっきー・えりくそん
- Born
- July 15, 1947 – May 31, 2019
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Boar
- Origin
- Austin, Texas, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- singer-songwriter / singer / guitarist / recording artist / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Roky Erickson born?
July 15, 1947 – May 31, 2019.
Where is Roky Erickson from?
Roky Erickson is from Austin, Texas, United States.
What does Roky Erickson do?
Roky Erickson works as singer-songwriter, singer, guitarist, recording artist, musician.
Singer-songwriter — see all → · Singer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.