Yeah Ed, Chris must have left The Byrds soon after that show, starting The Flying Burrito Brothers with Gram. The last Byrds album I bothered to listen to was the double untitled, which had only one good song---"Chestnut Mare." I then wrote them off. But Chris did some real good Bluegrass albums on Sugar Hill Records, and as the leader of The Desert Rose Band. His newest album (produced by Mike Campbell of The Heartbreakers) is also mighty fine. |
bdp24 -- I saw the Byrds at the Aquarius Theater in Hollywood when they were going through all their personnel problems. That very evening, apparently, they had just become a trio, McGuinn, Chris Hillman and one of those drummers. A member of the audience shouted, "Where's Gene?" ...Or was it some other dear departed Byrd? Anyway, Hillman muttered, "He's dead." Bottom line, the Byrds were not very good. McGuinn was forced to supply his own back-up vocals.
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I’m green with envy, @edcyn! I somehow managed to miss The Byrds with Clarence up in NorCal. I’ve been to The Troubadour many times (once on it’s stage), that would have been a great place to see and hear he and they. I have mixed feelings about that Byrds line-up: While I love Clarence, The Byrds drummer during his tenure was Gene Parsons (no relation to Gram), a not-very-good Country player (too busy and "messy", didn’t understand when to play a simple 1-3 or 1-2-3-4 on the kick). Gene did invent the B-Bender, though ;-) . One world-class Telecaster player I have seen & heard close up was one you probably also like: Albert Lee. In the 90’s Al would occasionally performed at a nice bar in Ventura, CA, just south of Santa Barbara. The night I went the place was packed with guitarists, watching his hands like hawks do field mice. Al tore up the place. |
I'm old enough to have seen Clarence White when he was with the Byrds. Was it at the Troubadour in West Hollywood? Was it at a joint in Pasadena? The mem'ry fades. I do remember, though, how he burned up (or was that hogged?) practically every solo opportunity...
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Did y'all appreciate Marty Stuart displaying his abilities at mandolin playing, when he demonstrated how Bill Monroe played the instrument? Marty was a child, a mere 13 years of age, when he became a professional musician, hired by Lester Flatt to join his band. Marty currently has the best band in the world, The Fabulous Superlatives. He and they have been making great music for quite a few years now. Marty owns Clarence White's B-Bender Telecaster and Hank Williams' Martin acoustic! One of my very favorite living musicians. |
The Wife and I also just finished watching the CM documentary and liked it a lot. We certainly learned some things we didn’t know about the life and turmoiled journeys of many of America’s legendary country stars.
Defiantly it was an inspiration to dig out and give another listen to some of our favorite old country LPs. Amazing how good they still sound
+3 on the old Martins!!!
My considerably less vintage Martin looks nothing like Willies LOL
Jim
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Loved the CM documentary. |
Pre-war (WWII) Martins, worth a small fortune. Everybody wants one, there aren't enough to go around. |
The wife and I love the Ken Burns doc beyond all reason. It works even for the most shallow of reasons. Anybody else stare goggle-eyed at all those Martin guitars?
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Just finished the Country Western Documentary by Ken Burns and have to say it was phenomenal. I could nitpick about a few people that were not mentioned in it but understood the restraints and loved the journey and the path they chose to follow and WOW what a journey. Did I mention, I loved it?
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It looks like the follow up documentary may indeed have something that should be of interest to about any music lover. I, for sure, will be following along. No doubt there will be something to inspire me to dig out some particular piece/pieces of forgotten tunes and spend some quality time having another listen.
Jim
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Geez schubert, that’s a rather un-Christian sentiment, attitude, and posture. Don’t forget, pride and wrath are 2 of the 7 deadly sins. Repent sinner, and remember what Country folk say: Don’t get above your raisin’. |
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Jim, I assume the full documentary will include Emmylou, and Gram Parsons, Steve Earle, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco, Commander Cody, The Byrds, Dylan, maybe even The Band---the whole Rock ’n’ Roll/Country convergence of the late-60’s/early 70’s and beyond. In the 1980’s, the radio station operating out of the Community College in Northridge, California had great programming of Roots music---Hard Country, Hillbilly, Bluegrass, Blues, Jump Blues, Rockabilly, some Jazz, and much more. Some guys with attitudes like that of schubert considered such music below the dignity of a college, and moved to change the station to an all-Classical format. You know, music more befitting an institution of higher learning. Snobs. |
Thanks bdp24, for all the good info.
I too wondered why Loretta didn't perform and would have loved to have seen something on Emmylou Harris. Not only a great singer, song writer, musician, in her own right, but I think, at one time or another, over the past four decades, about every relevant pop or country star, sang a duet with Emmylou.
In all though, was a great show.
Jim
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And he knows very little about it and issues half-truths which is worse than lies .
American Classical music is American ! Most country roots are Scottish and Irish .
Everything is part of every thing else .
GET IT ?
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If the band’s drummer looks familiar, it’s 'cause he’s Chad Cromwell, Neil Young’s drummer for his Prairie Wind show, also taped at The Ryman. I would have preferred they had Harry Stinson (the drummer/singer in Marty Stuart’s band The Fabulous Superlatives), imo a much better player. It was great seeing and hearing Marty in the Show. Quite a mandolin player, ay? He turned pro at the age of 13, being offered a job in Lester Flatt’s road band. 13! Marty owns the Fender Telecaster Clarence White played in The Byrds, and Hank Williams’ Martin acoustic. This was a pretty good show, lots of excellent artists, There were some major practitioners of the music missing (no Emmylou Harris?!), and why did they have Kathy Mattea, a mediocre singer, doing a Loretta Lynn song instead of Loretta herself? Loretta’s still alive and well, her last two albums having been produced by Jack White. I love Burns’ documentaries on The Civil War and Mark Twain, and am really looking forward to this one. The reason he did a documentary on Country music and not Classical is because Country is an American art form, Classical a European one. The Civil War, Mark Twain, Baseball, Jazz, Country music. Get it? Burns specializes in U.S. History. I thought everyone knew that ;-) . |
@schubert I know in the pasty PBS American Masters did segments on Copland, Gershwin, Andrew Loyd Webber and others, so may be something coming up.
Over the past couple of years we saw specials on Andrew Loyd Webber, Katherine Jenkins, Leonard Cohen and wife's favorites, Celtic Thunder and Celtic Woman. All were very good.
If I see something on American Classical composers coming up, I'll drop a post...........Jim
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Damn, another show on TV I missed. I gotta start payin' attention! I just checked out of my library the first season of "Nashville" on DVD, which I missed as well. I hear Buddy Miller and some other greats are on it. |
@jhills, thank you for that and can't wait
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Call me when he does one on American Classical composers .
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I’m not very familiar with Ken Burns particularly, but did find the overall production and performances quite enjoyable and am looking forward to the ongoing series. I’m sure there will be something to learn and a bit of great music.....Jim
@tooblue I hope you can find, I think you would enjoy.
I pulled out an old box set of Jim Reeves, a while back and was very impressed at how clean, clear and present his vocals were. I had a nice listening session last night and plans to do some more in days and evenings to come - a lot to love about some of that old Country.....Jim
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Loved it and Mr. Burns did an incredible job as the MC! |
Saw half of it...loved it! |
Last night’s show was a concert and promo for the documentary "Country Music" that begins next Sunday the 15th. It's an eight part series. I'm not a big fan of Ken Burns. His style is a little slow for me. I hope this one's good. There will be a lot to learn for those unfamiliar with the genre and Country fans alike. |
I did not see that, sounds great and will try to see if it replays, but have been pulling out old CW albums for awhile. Thanks for the headsup, love the Ryman
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