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The Byrds

The Byrds were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. They are considered one of the most influential bands of the 1960s and are particularly known for popularizing the folk rock genre.

The band's original lineup consisted of Jim McGuinn (later known as Roger McGuinn) on vocals and guitar, Gene Clark on vocals and tambourine, David Crosby on vocals and rhythm guitar, Chris Hillman on bass guitar, and Michael Clarke on drums. The band's sound was characterized by McGuinn's distinctive 12-string Rickenbacker guitar playing and the group's tight harmonies.

The Byrds achieved immediate success with their first single, a cover of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," which became a hit in the United States and the United Kingdom in 1965. The band continued to release a string of successful albums and singles throughout the mid-1960s, including "Turn! Turn! Turn!," "Eight Miles High," and "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star."

In addition to their pioneering work in the folk rock genre, The Byrds also experimented with psychedelic rock and country rock, and their influence can be heard in the music of bands like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and R.E.M.

The band underwent numerous personnel changes over the years, with McGuinn being the only constant member throughout their career. Despite this, The Byrds continued to release critically acclaimed albums into the 1970s before disbanding in 1973. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

The Byrds were initially called The Jet Set, due to Roger McGuinn's fascination with airplanes. -GSH


The Jet Set (1964)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals - b. James Joseph McGuinn III, July 13, 1942, Chicago, Illinois - formerly with The Limeliters and The Chad Mitchell Trio; also backed Judy Collins.
  • Gene Clark - vocals/tambourine/guitar - b. Harold Eugene Clark, November 17, 1941, Tipton, Missouri; d. May 24, 1991, Sherman Oaks, California - formerly with The New Christy Minstrels.
  • David Crosby - guitar/vocals - b. David Van Cortland, August 14, 1941, Los Angeles, California - formerly with Ethan & David and Les Baxter's Balladeers

The Byrds I (1964 - 1966)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals - b. December 4, 1942, Los Angeles, California - formerly with The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, The Golden Gate Boys / The Hillmen, and The Green Grass Group.
  • Gene Clark - vocals/tambourine/guitar
  • David Crosby - guitar/vocals
  • Michael Clarke - drums - b. June 3, 1944, New York City, New York; d. December 19, 1993, Treasure Island, Florida.
Albums:
  1. "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965) - Single: "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965)
  2. "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (1966) - Single: "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (1966)
  3. "In the Beginning" (1988)
Gene Clark departs for solo career.

The Byrds II (1966 - 1968) Albums:
  1. "Fifth Dimension" (1966) - Single: "Eight Miles High" (1966)
  2. "Younger Than Yesterday" (1967)
David Crosby leaves to form Crosby, Stills and Nash with Stephen Stills (ex-Buffalo Springfield) and Graham Nash (ex-Hollies). Michael Clarke joins the Dillard and Clark Expedition and was later member of Firefall.

The Byrds III (1968) Album:
  1. "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" (1968)

The Byrds IV (1968)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals
  • Kevin Kelley - drums
  • Gram Parsons - guitar/vocals - b. Ingram Cecil Connor III, November 5, 1946, Winter Haven, Florida; d. September 19, 1973, Yucca Valley, California.
Album:
  1. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" (1968)
Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman leave to form country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers.

The Byrds V (1968 - 1969)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Clarence White - guitar/vocals - b. June 6, 1944, Lewiston, Maine; d. July 14, 1973, Palmdale, California. Stellar bluegrass flatpicker formerly with bluegrass band The Kentucky Colonels.
  • Gene Parsons - drums - b. April 9, 1944.
  • John York - bass
Album:
  1. "Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde" (1969)

The Byrds VI (1969 - 1972)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Clarence White - guitar/vocals
  • Gene Parsons - drums
  • Skip Battin - bass/vocals - b. February 2, 1934, Gallipolis, Ohio.
Albums:
  1. "The Ballad of Easy Rider" (1970)
  2. "The Byrds (Untitled)" (1970)
  3. "(Untitled)/(Unissued)" (2-CDs) (2000)
  4. "Byrdmaniax" (1971)
  5. "Farther Along" (1972)
Gene Parsons goes solo and records two albums.

The Byrds VII (1972 - 1973) (disbanded)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Clarence White - guitar/vocals
  • Daryl Dragon - drums - b. August 27, 1942, Los Angeles, California.
  • John Guerin - bass
Clarence White and his brother Roland White reform bluegrass band The Kentucky Colonels (a.k.a. The White Brothers).

The Byrds I (1973) (reformed for one album with original lineup)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals
  • Gene Clark - vocals/tambourine/guitar
  • David Crosby - guitar/vocals
  • Michael Clarke - drums
Albums:
  1. "The Byrds" (1973)
  2. "Preflyte" (1973)
Roger McGuinn had solo career and was a member of McGuinn, Clark and Hillman. Gene Clark also had a solo career. Chris Hillman joins The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, and later founded The Desert Rose Band (w/Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson).

Compilations:
  1. "Greatest Hits" (1967)
  2. "The Best of the Byrds - Greatest Hits, vol. 2" (1972)
  3. "The Original Singles 1965-67" (1980)
  4. "The Byrds" (4-CD box set) (1990)
  5. "20 Essential Tracks from the Boxed Set: 1965-1990" (1992)
  6. "Byrd Parts: Oddities, Curios & Essentials" (1998)

Links:
  • "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" - by John Einarson; published by Cooper Square Press - Let me say right up front that I have been a big fan of country rock music ever since hearing the "Pickin' Up The Pieces" single from Poco's debut album.  Poco has remained a favorite of mine through the years, although I always believed they were overlooked as a significant influence on popular music into the 1970s and the "new country" movement in the 1990s.  Thankfully, this oversight is corrected by John Einarson in his book, "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock", which traces the history of country rock's rise in Southern California from the early days in the late 1960s up to The Eagles (unquestionably the most commercially-viable country rock band of all time).  Having previously read one of Mr. Einarson's biographies on The Guess Who, I was anxious to see how he approached my favorite type of music...I was not disappointed.  "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" is an intricate tale of musicians struggling to be heard amidst the psychedelic and hard-rock sounds flooding the airwaves at the time...and these early country rockers did make themselves heard...The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Poco, Buffalo Springfield, Clarence White, The Eagles, Michael Nesmith (remember The Monkees?...Nesmith made some great country rock music after that gig was over), The Dillards, Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band, The Dillard and Clark Expedition, Linda Ronstadt, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band...the list could go on and on.  This book covers the early days of country rock from it's beginnings in the late 1960s to the tragic year of 1973 (when the music world lost two country rock pioneers: guitarist-extraordinaire Clarence White and Gram Parsons) and examines the influence this music has had on second-generation country rock bands such as Pure Prairie League and Firefall.  In addition, the impact of these early country rockers on the "new country" music of the 1980s and the "alternative country" movement of the late-1990s and beyond is explored from a "roots" perspective.  This is a tale masterfully woven by Mr. Einarson, based on more than 60 exclusive interviews with the originators and innovators of country rock.  The amount of information and level of detail contained in these 288 pages is astounding, and there are 31 black and white photographs (some of which I've never seen before).  The only improvement that I would recommend is the inclusion of a comprehensive index in the next edition (this would really help in finding information on specific artists).  Even though I've been following country rock music for years, I learned a lot from this book.  The quotes gleaned from Mr. Einarson's interviews during research for this book are particularly helpful in understanding the origin and development of country rock. "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" is required reading for all fans of country rock or anyone interested in late-1960s to early-1970s music. Highly recommended.

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Date revised: September 4, 2003
© 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 by Gary S. Hartman.  All rights reserved.
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