Roland Vernon was born in 1961 and educated at Eton, King's College Cambridge, and the Royal College of Music. Between the ages of 16 and 28 he spent about four months of every year in Greece, developing a close affinity with the country, its people and history. After a brief career as a professional singer, he settled in the countryside, dividing his time between writing and managing his own small rural business. He is author of several biographical books on music, and, most recently, Star in the East, a biography of the philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti. He lives in Somerset with his wife and three sons, and still visits Greece as regularly as his commitments allow.