The Byrds Biography, Photos and Posters

The Byrds

Biography

Started: 1964
City and Country of Origin: Los Angeles, CA
Music Background:
Awards: 1991 inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame;
Top Recordings:
The Byrds Biography: The Byrds were an influential American rock band formed in the mid 60s in Los Angeles, CA. The Byrds were popular and through the 1960s and early 1970s. Throughout their career, they helped forge such subgenres as folk rock, space rock, psychedelic rock, and – on their 1968 album Sweetheart of the Rodeo – country rock. After several line-up changes, with only lead singer/guitarist Roger McGuinn as the only consistent member, they broke up in 1973.

Some of their trademark songs include pop covers of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and Pete Seeger’s "Turn! Turn! Turn!," and the originals "I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better," and "Eight Miles High."

They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and several band members have launched successful solo careers after leaving the group. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked them number 45 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

The Byrds were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1964 by singers and guitarists Jim McGuinn (born James McGuinn III on July 13, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois) (he changed his name to Roger McGuinn in 1967, after joining the spiritual movement Subud), Gene Clark (born Harold Eugene Clark on November 17, 1941, in Tipton, Missouri; died May 24, 1991), and David Crosby (born David Van Cortlandt Crosby on August 14, 1941, in Los Angeles). Bassist Chris Hillman (born December 4, 1942, in Los Angeles) and drummer Michael Clarke (born Michael Dick on June 3, 1946, in New York City; died December 19, 1993) joined soon after.

McGuinn had been with The Limeliters and the Chad Mitchell Trio, among others, before working in New York in 1962-63 as a songwriter for Bobby Darin. He moved to L.A. in late 1963 and began working at clubs such as the Troubadour but, after hearing The Beatles for the first time, saw what he later called "a gap in the market," and resolved to take "Lennon and Dylan and mix them together."

Gene Clark, of the New Christy Minstrels originally joined McGuinn before David Crosby who'd performed with Les Baxter's Balladeers, persuaded them to let him join. The early group was heavily influenced by the American folk revival. They recorded songs like "Please Let Me Love You" B/W "Don't Be Long", under the name "The Beefeaters." In 1964 the group signed with Columbia Records and shortly thereafter adopted the name The Byrds. In January of 1965 they recorded "Mr. Tambourine Man," giving the Dylan composition the full electric treatment theus creating folk rock. The song reached the top of the U.S charts and shortly thereafter the U.K. charts. The album of the same name also reached the top of the charts.

They followed this succes with another Dylan song "All I Really Want To Do," which had some success, but was out distanced by the Sonny and Cher version. For thier next effort they would turn to the bible, the book of Ecclesiastes, for the Pete Seegar adapted "Turn! Turn! Turn!." It became the groups second number 1 hit.

By 1965 the group was ready for a musical metamorphosis, and it came with the recording "Eight Miles High," generally considered the first fully-blown psychedelic recording. You have to keep in mind that this was the start of mass social unrest in the U.S. and drug use, as a result a number of stations banned the song thinking it referred to drug use. The song still did well, but not sensationally well peaking at number 14 int he U.S. and number 24 in the U.K. Gene Clark left the band in 1966 due to a fear of flying, to pursue a solo career. The band released Fifth Dimension in July of 1966 to build on the success of its new sound. The album featured songs like I See You" and Crosby's "What's Happening?" as well as "Eight Miles High," but by now there existed a campaign on the radio to ban drug influenced songs. The album peaked at number 24.

"So You Want To Be A Rock'N'Roll Star," was a satirical response to the drafting of Elvis and the music business' creation of groups like the Monkees.

By 1967 Crosby attempted to gain control of the group. During the Monterey Pop Festival Crosby sang most of the leads, giving lengthy speeches between each song. He even filled in for Neil Young with the Buffalo Springfield. After refusing to participate in the recording of the Goffin-King number "Goin' Back" emotions erupted and Crosby was fired. After a cash settlement he moved on forming Crosby, Stills & Nash. The Notorious Byrd Brothers released in 1968 debuted the new alignment. It contained "Wasn't Born to Follow," which was featured in Easy Rider. It has grown in reputation since its release and is today considered one of the group's finest efforts.

Now functioning as just a duo, The Byrds recruited Hillman's cousin Kevin Kelley as drummer and the band went out on tour in support of The Notorious Byrd Brothers as a trio. After realizing that the trio arrangement wasn't going to work, McGuinn and Hillman, in a fateful decision for their future career-direction, hired Gram Parsons, originally to play keyboards (he later moved to guitar). With the aid of Hillman, Parsons persuaded McGuinn to change direction again, and take up a style with which they'd previously only dabbled - country music.

In February of 1968 the group played the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. The group immediately recorded an album in a wholly Country style with Parsons choosing and singing many of the songs. However, Parsons left the group when he refused to play before a segregated audience in South Africa. Meanwhile Sweetheart of the Rodeo was released with either McQuinn or Hillman overdubbing Parsons' vocals. The album was unsuccessful reaching only number 77 on the U.S. charts.

Kelley left shortly after Parsons and were replaced by Gene Parsons and guitarist Clarence White. This new lineup lasted all of 2 shows before Hillman quit to join Parsons in the Flying Burrito Brothers. McGuinn, now the only original member left, hired bassist John York to replace Hillman and the resulting quartet recorded the Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde album and released it in February 1969 to poor US sales and moderate UK success.

In October of 1969 came the Ballad Of Easy Rider album. "Jesus Is Just Alright" from that album was issued as a single. McQuinn toured with the group through 1972, with LA session man John Guerin replacing Gene Parsons. There are 2 Byrds' recordigns from this period live versions of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Roll Over Beethoven" recorded for the soundtrack to the movie Banjoman. Skip Battin and John Guerin either quit or were fired after the February 10, 1973 show in Ithaca, NY and were replaced with Chris Hillman (ironically) and Joe Lala respectively for the Byrds' final two shows on February 23 (Burlington, VT) and 24 (Passaic, NJ).

The group reunited in late 1972 calling themselves "Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Michael Clarke" after Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Over the years disputes have erupted over which members actually owned the right to the name The Byrds.

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