Podcasts about Gram Parsons

For our february episode we finally complete the 70s by discussing our favourite songs of 1974! You can expect lots of prog, much more krautrock than expected (particularly from Tracey), some funk classics, sparkly glam bangers, and most of the members of The Byrds.We've each chosen our 10 favourite songs of the year and sent them over to Colin's wife Helen, who put the playlists together and distributed them so we were each given a playlist of the 20 songs from the other two hosts, along with our own 10. We then ranked the playlists in order of preference and sent them back to Helen, who totalled up the points and worked out the order. She also joined us on the episode to read out the countdown, which we found out as we recorded so all reactions are genuine.Now, admittedly, in parts we're a little bit brutal to some of the songs in the list as we're three separate people with differing music tastes, but please remember that to be in this episode at all the songs have to have been in one of our top 10's of that year.Bands featured in this episode include (In alphabetical order, no spoilers here!) - Kevin Ayers, Big Star, David Bowie, James Brown, Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band, Gene Clark, Cluster, Deep Purple, Brian Eno, Focus, Fred Frith, Harmonia, Keith Hudson, King Crimson, Kiss, Kraftwerk, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Curtis Mayfield, Roger McGuinn, Mike Oldfield, Parliament, Gram Parsons, Pilot, Queen, Roxy Music, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Sparks, Steely Dan, Tangerine Dream, & Rick Wakeman.Find all songs in alphabetical order here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5DIrU8fLeTxerh4wHJTWDq?si=6e2bfca9066b44e2Find our We Dig Music Pollwinners Party playlist (featuring all of the winning songs up until now) here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45zfDHo8zm6VqrvoEQSt3z?si=Ivt0oMj6SmitimvumYfFrQIf you want to listen to megalength playlists of all the songs we've individually picked since we started doing best of the year episodes (which need updating but I plan on doing them over the next few months or so), you can listen to Colin's here – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5x3Vy5Jry2IxG9JNOtabRT?si=HhcVKRCtRhWCK1KucyrDdgIan's here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2H0hnxe6WX50QNQdlfRH5T?si=XmEjnRqISNqDwi30p1uLqAand Tracey's here - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2p3K0n8dKhjHb2nKBSYnKi?si=7a-cyDvSSuugdV1m5md9NwThe playlist of 20 songs from the other two hosts was scored as usual, our favourite song got 20 points, counting down incrementally to our least favourite which got 1 point. The scoring of our own list of 10 is now slightly more complicated in order to give a truer level of points to our own favourites. So rather than them only being able to score as many points as our 10th favourite in the other list, the points in our own list were distributed as follows -1st place - 20 points2nd place - 18 points3rd place – 16 points4th place – 14 points5th place – 12 points6th place – 9 points7th place – 7 points8th place – 5 points9th place – 3 points10th place -1 pointHosts - Ian Clarke, Colin Jackson-Brown & Tracey BGuest starring Helen Jackson-Brown.Playlist compiling/distributing – Helen Jackson-BrownRecorded/Edited/Mixed/Original Music by Colin Jackson-Brown for We Dig PodcastsThanks to Peter Latimer for help with the scoring system.Part of the We Dig Podcasts network along with Free With This Months Issue & Pick A Disc.Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/wedigmusic.bsky.socialInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/wedigmusicpcast/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wedigpusicpcast/Find our other episodes & podcasts at www.wedigpodcasts.com 

“Look who’s back” es la nueva entrega de The Nude Party. Los siete mismos amigos que se juntaron en una universidad de Carolina del Norte siguen unidos tras cuatro álbumes, asentados en una casa comunal en el estado de Nueva York. Su receta sonora mezcla a los Rolling Stones con Lou Reed pasando por los Byrds, T-Rex, los Kinks, Gram Parsons o Grateful Dead. De su alquimia salen canciones que llegan para quedarse. Es un placer que hayan vuelto.Playlist;THE NUDE PARTY “Look who’s back” (Look who’s back, 2026)THE NUDE PARTY Juarez” (Look who’s back, 2026)THE NUDE PARTY “Love is electric” (Look who’s back, 2026)DANIEL ROMANO’S OUTFIT feat CARSON McHONE “Cardinal star” (Preservers of the Pearl, 2026)JE’TEXAS “Love is teasin” (Suit yourself, 2025)THE SHEEPDOGS “I do” (Keep out of the storm, 2026)FAST KIDS “Too busy hatin’ to understand love” (Fast Kids forever, 2026)ADAM AMRAM “Locked in” (To the end, 2025)AWEFUL KANAWFUL “A horse with no name” (Endless pleasure, 2025)RATBOYS “Anywhere” (Singin’ to an empty chair, 2026)THE PARANOID STYLE “Known associates” (Known associates, 2026)SNÜFF “Luciana” (2026)OLD LADY “Giggle” (Kissing creek, 2023)JEFF CLARKE “Sparrow” (Miracle after miracle after…, 2025)JACUZZI BOYS “Ozone” (Too cold to Tango, 2025)PROGRAM “Sparks” (It’s a sign, 2024)Escuchar audio

For this episode we're joined — all the way from Laurel Canyon — by the husband-and-wife tag team that is Jeff Walker and Kim Gottlieb(-Walker). Married for 53 years, Jeff and Kim have worked in diverse capacities in the music business and talk about their experiences over those five-plus decades. We start with the couple's work together on monthly freesheet Music World, focusing on their 1973 encounters with Tom Waits and Gram Parsons (plus a 15-year-old Cameron Crowe tagging along). After audio clips of both Waits and Parsons, we hear a 1987 clip of Gram's great singing partner Emmylou Harris talking to Adam Sweeting about... Gram Parsons. Interweaving tales of Jeff's life as a publicity director and Kim's career as a photographer, we hear about Island Records, Jamaica and the couple's close relationship with Bob Marley, concluding with Jeff's account of being with Bob after the chief Wailer was shot by gunmen in 1976. After Jasper offers his thoughts on Bad Bunny's ICE-breaking half-time show at the Super Bowl, Kim channels her late '60s protesting self and eloquently summarises her feelings about staying sane in Trump's dystopian America. Finally, Mark quotes from newly-added library interviews with Captain Beefheart (1979) and David Thomas (1985), while Jasper hails Joe Muggs' 2021 piece about Joel Culpepper. Many thanks to special guests Kim Gottlieb-Walker and Jeff Walker. Visit Kim's website at lenswoman.com and read Jeff's writing on Rock's Backpages. Pieces discussed: Tom Waits: Thursday Afternoon, Sober as a Judge, Jackson Browne, Techno-Rock: Six Teutons And What Do You Get — A Programmed Sequencer And The Doppler Effect, Emmylou Harris audio, Captain Beefheart Pulls A Hat Out of His Rabbit, David Thomas: Unscrambling the egg man and Joel Culpepper: Almost Famous.

Tacoma, Washington songwriter Kye Alfred Hillig returns with “Ezekiel Bobbing For Apples,” the new single arriving January 7, 2026, and the first release from his upcoming album The All-Night Costume Company, due March 4. Built around haunting guitar leads and striking male-female harmonies that nod to the emotional gravity of classic country duets like Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, the track introduces Hillig at his most direct and melodic. It sits between alternative-country and indie rock, carrying the tension and plainspoken urgency of a songwriter raised on punk rooms rather than polish. Hillig has spent more than two decades working the margins of the Puget Sound music scene, balancing songwriting with the realities of work, responsibility, and long stretches outside the spotlight. Since stepping fully into his solo work in 2012, he's released a deep catalog of records defined by sharp hooks and lyrical candor. His songs often land where discomfort and dark humor overlap, more interested in honesty than resolution. Fans of Father John Misty, The Jayhawks, and early-era The Shins will recognize the instinct for narrative and melody, even as Hillig's voice and perspective remain distinctly his own. “Ezekiel Bobbing For Apples” moves with restless intent. The arrangement is lean but charged, guitars circling and cutting while the rhythm section pushes steadily forward. The blend of voices adds weight rather than gloss, creating moments of tension and release that feel earned instead of ornamental. Lyrically, the song sits with a kind of open-eyed vulnerability. “It's really a bit of singing up from the bottom of the well,” Hillig says. “Everything feels kind of screwed and hopeless at times, but the message is I am with you. There's something freeing about saying that out loud.” Shaped by years of DIY spaces and unvarnished rooms, the song carries a quiet defiance, even as it stretches into broader country and indie-rock forms. It never pauses to second-guess itself. Kye Alfred Hillig Online INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | BANDCAMP | FACEBOOK Checkout my YouTube Channel with long form interviews from the Subversives | the History of Lowest of the Low. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9d1VSeOHYuxFWKuRdmn9j8UTW6AHwS_fAlso my Weekly Tour Vlog is up an live on the YouTubeshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9d1VSeOHYuwphwhc4zd0VgY66f1OUQZp Pledge monthly with Patreon https://www.patreon.com/apologueShop Apologue products at http://apologue.ca/shopCheck out new Four Square Here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/brighton-beach-ephttps://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/seven-oh-sevenhttps://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/industry-at-home–21st-anniversary-remix-remasteredhttps://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/when-weeks-were-weekends

Soon-to-be-former Reel Politik host Jack Frayne-Reid unveils THE OVAL TAPES VOL. 1, his first live album and sanctioned "official bootleg", featuring solo acoustic (and, on the first four songs, electric) performances of ten original songs alongside covers of Neil Young, Gram Parsons, Lucinda Williams and The Rolling Stones, recorded in concert at Croydon's Oval Tavern. All songs written by Jack Frayne-Reid unless otherwise indicated: 1. Total Rock And Roll 2. Damned Deluxe 3. Fork In The Road 4. I'm The Ocean (Neil Young) 5. The Sacking Of Carthage 6. I Lost It (Lucinda Williams) 7. You Know Me 8. Fucking Vindicated 9. Dead Flowers (Mick Jagger/Keith Richards) 10. Wheels (Gram Parsons/Chris Hillman) 11. Crack Video 12. The Times In Between 13. Sunrise On The City 14. Return Of The Grievous Angel (Gram Parsons/Tom Brown) 15. The True Way 16. Roll Another Number (For The Road) (Neil Young) INDIVIDUAL TRACKS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD HERE: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jit3EZntqtW8Qv909jBG018JiHaSShzm?usp=sharing

Beloved Australian songwriter Paul Kelly has just turned 70 – “it sounds Biblical, threescore years and ten.” He looks back here at the road he took to get there, from early days in Adelaide to the pub circuit to his catalogueof stirring and eloquent songs about the big issues of life and love, as Neil Finn says, “with not a trace of pretence or fakery”. You'll find … … the moment he felt he'd arrived … the story of How To Make Gravy – “a Christmas song with no chorus about a man in prison” – and Rita Wrote A Letter, its ghostly sequel … early records he loved – Tommy Roe, Peter Paul & Mary, Yes, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, the “chaotic” Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong … life on the Melbourne pub circuit playing Neil Young, Gram Parsons and Hank Williams … touring with Leonard Cohen – “a masterclass in performance, like a prayer, a ritual, like a Vaudevillian Rabbi” .. the storytelling songs of the Stanley Brothers, the Louvin Brothers and Buck Owens ... the great Calypso cricket tradition and the track he wrote about Shane Warne … “the odd-sock drawer”: the file in his computer where he stores early sketches … I'm In Love With A Blue Frog, the five chords that underpinned 50 years of songwriting! … the intricacy of Neil Finn's impressionistic lyrics … and the things you hear in your songs when someone else sings them. Order Paul Kelly's ‘Seventy' here: https://paulkelly.lnk.to/seventyHelp us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beloved Australian songwriter Paul Kelly has just turned 70 – “it sounds Biblical, threescore years and ten.” He looks back here at the road he took to get there, from early days in Adelaide to the pub circuit to his catalogueof stirring and eloquent songs about the big issues of life and love, as Neil Finn says, “with not a trace of pretence or fakery”. You'll find … … the moment he felt he'd arrived … the story of How To Make Gravy – “a Christmas song with no chorus about a man in prison” – and Rita Wrote A Letter, its ghostly sequel … early records he loved – Tommy Roe, Peter Paul & Mary, Yes, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, the “chaotic” Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong … life on the Melbourne pub circuit playing Neil Young, Gram Parsons and Hank Williams … touring with Leonard Cohen – “a masterclass in performance, like a prayer, a ritual, like a Vaudevillian Rabbi” .. the storytelling songs of the Stanley Brothers, the Louvin Brothers and Buck Owens ... the great Calypso cricket tradition and the track he wrote about Shane Warne … “the odd-sock drawer”: the file in his computer where he stores early sketches … I'm In Love With A Blue Frog, the five chords that underpinned 50 years of songwriting! … the intricacy of Neil Finn's impressionistic lyrics … and the things you hear in your songs when someone else sings them. Order Paul Kelly's ‘Seventy' here: https://paulkelly.lnk.to/seventyHelp us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beloved Australian songwriter Paul Kelly has just turned 70 – “it sounds Biblical, threescore years and ten.” He looks back here at the road he took to get there, from early days in Adelaide to the pub circuit to his catalogueof stirring and eloquent songs about the big issues of life and love, as Neil Finn says, “with not a trace of pretence or fakery”. You'll find … … the moment he felt he'd arrived … the story of How To Make Gravy – “a Christmas song with no chorus about a man in prison” – and Rita Wrote A Letter, its ghostly sequel … early records he loved – Tommy Roe, Peter Paul & Mary, Yes, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, the “chaotic” Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong … life on the Melbourne pub circuit playing Neil Young, Gram Parsons and Hank Williams … touring with Leonard Cohen – “a masterclass in performance, like a prayer, a ritual, like a Vaudevillian Rabbi” .. the storytelling songs of the Stanley Brothers, the Louvin Brothers and Buck Owens ... the great Calypso cricket tradition and the track he wrote about Shane Warne … “the odd-sock drawer”: the file in his computer where he stores early sketches … I'm In Love With A Blue Frog, the five chords that underpinned 50 years of songwriting! … the intricacy of Neil Finn's impressionistic lyrics … and the things you hear in your songs when someone else sings them. Order Paul Kelly's ‘Seventy' here: https://paulkelly.lnk.to/seventyHelp us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we feature a Christmas cracker that offers some new perspectives on one of our most treasured holiday traditions - The Xmas Song: First, The Turtles, singing “Christmas is My Time of Year,” then, the esteemed actor, Harvey Keitel, telling an off the wall Christmas story, from the film Smoke.Putting on a favorite holiday tape or CD as you wrap the presents or trim the tree was always a highly anticipated ritual - Frank, Dino, Elvis, or Bing never failed to make the season bright. In the 60's Rock era, of course, Phil Spector's album was a must. Every pop artist has made one, even Bob Dylan. It made Irving Berlin and Mel Torme millions.  It's generally a can't miss proposition. But, I'll bet you never considered these selections. One isn't even a song; and then there's the Turtles number, which is seemingly on the money, but not universally known. THE TURTLES"Christmas is My Time of Year" was written by the jewish Howard Kaylan and the Turtle's bassist and veteran of the Modern Folk Quartet, Chip Douglas. Douglas also produced, populating the recording with such country rock luminaries as Gram Parsons and Linda Ronstadt. The track has a folksy flair with its twangy guitars and dobros. It's military 4 on the floor marching beat gives it an overly perky, trying too hard feel, but it's still a lot of fun - and that's the mark of a good Turtles song. isn't it?: always promoting optimism and good feelings. Even when they're singing dark material like PF Sloan's “Let Me Be” the music counterpoints the dreariness with sunshine.HARVEY KEITEL in SMOKERich threw this curveball into the mix, and I LOVE IT! Mr. Keitel has always been a favorite of ours - and in this clip from Wayne Wang's Smoke he knocks it out of the park with this shaggy holiday story negotiating the mixed up urges of conscience and larceny. At the end of the segment there is a black and white rendering of the story accompanied by Tom Waits, singing “Innocent when you Dream”.And, it's here that the overall theme emerges: Christmas is that time when we aspire to live up to our best selves. But, there are so many contradictory images that interfere with this aspiration. We are exhorted to consume, going into debt for the good of the economy, and to our peril. All around us we might notice that the lonely and disenfranchised are suffering worse than ever during this time. So, we look away, trying not to face the disturbing prospect that it could be us next year. We're only human, after all - but, to be better more than just one day out of the year shouldn't be asking too much. But, how to begin?

The boys of the NYPD choir are still singing Galway Bay, so pour yourself a measure of the Rare Old Mountain Dew and warm your toes on the following … … Steve Lillywhite (in Bali!) remembers making Fairytale Of New York and how “a fiery redhead” kicked the Chrissie Hynde duet into touch … the most recent singer-songwriter you could call “a ledge”? … records we loved in our 20s but now feel a bit embarrassing … “discipline and economy, tension and release”: the immortal twangs and tweaks of Steve Cropper and how the MGs redefined the idea of a great record … Green Onions, I Thank You by Sam & Dave and the white heat of Otis Blue's 24-hour recording ... Tim Buckley's Greatest Misses ... performative listening: the exquisite awkwardness of the album playback! … the link between Imogen Heap and the Hissing of Summer Lawns … Jon Bon Jovi's version of Fairytale – “so bad they had to turn the YouTube comments off!” … plus Gram Parsons, the cult of the Blues Brothers, the Monochrome Set and a quiz from birthday guest Peter Petyt: spot the Hepworth/Ellen reviews of yesteryear! The new live version of Fairytale of New York: http://pogues.lnk.to/FONYLiveGlasgow1987 Josh Smith demonstrating Steve Cropper's guitar parts: https://youtu.be/LJEIwggKAsg?si=29weA4tBQE6ccj1-Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The boys of the NYPD choir are still singing Galway Bay, so pour yourself a measure of the Rare Old Mountain Dew and warm your toes on the following … … Steve Lillywhite (in Bali!) remembers making Fairytale Of New York and how “a fiery redhead” kicked the Chrissie Hynde duet into touch … the most recent singer-songwriter you could call “a ledge”? … records we loved in our 20s but now feel a bit embarrassing … “discipline and economy, tension and release”: the immortal twangs and tweaks of Steve Cropper and how the MGs redefined the idea of a great record … Green Onions, I Thank You by Sam & Dave and the white heat of Otis Blue's 24-hour recording ... Tim Buckley's Greatest Misses ... performative listening: the exquisite awkwardness of the album playback! … the link between Imogen Heap and the Hissing of Summer Lawns … Jon Bon Jovi's version of Fairytale – “so bad they had to turn the YouTube comments off!” … plus Gram Parsons, the cult of the Blues Brothers, the Monochrome Set and a quiz from birthday guest Peter Petyt: spot the Hepworth/Ellen reviews of yesteryear! The new live version of Fairytale of New York: http://pogues.lnk.to/FONYLiveGlasgow1987 Josh Smith demonstrating Steve Cropper's guitar parts: https://youtu.be/LJEIwggKAsg?si=29weA4tBQE6ccj1-Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The boys of the NYPD choir are still singing Galway Bay, so pour yourself a measure of the Rare Old Mountain Dew and warm your toes on the following … … Steve Lillywhite (in Bali!) remembers making Fairytale Of New York and how “a fiery redhead” kicked the Chrissie Hynde duet into touch … the most recent singer-songwriter you could call “a ledge”? … records we loved in our 20s but now feel a bit embarrassing … “discipline and economy, tension and release”: the immortal twangs and tweaks of Steve Cropper and how the MGs redefined the idea of a great record … Green Onions, I Thank You by Sam & Dave and the white heat of Otis Blue's 24-hour recording ... Tim Buckley's Greatest Misses ... performative listening: the exquisite awkwardness of the album playback! … the link between Imogen Heap and the Hissing of Summer Lawns … Jon Bon Jovi's version of Fairytale – “so bad they had to turn the YouTube comments off!” … plus Gram Parsons, the cult of the Blues Brothers, the Monochrome Set and a quiz from birthday guest Peter Petyt: spot the Hepworth/Ellen reviews of yesteryear! The new live version of Fairytale of New York: http://pogues.lnk.to/FONYLiveGlasgow1987 Josh Smith demonstrating Steve Cropper's guitar parts: https://youtu.be/LJEIwggKAsg?si=29weA4tBQE6ccj1-Help us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A cosmic-country dust-up with Gram Parsons. A months-long cocaine spiral. An alien obsession, and a bleak Christmas single that wouldn't quit. Death threats, pistols, pardons, and “Pancho & Lefty.” Listen to find out how Merle Haggard survived another December and lived to rewrite country music. For the full list of contributors, visit ⁠⁠disgracelandpod.com⁠⁠ To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to exclusive content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠⁠. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - ⁠⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠⁠ Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠X⁠⁠ (formerly Twitter)  ⁠⁠Facebook Fan Group⁠⁠ ⁠⁠TikTok⁠ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episodem we explore the remarkable journey of Bernie Leadon, the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter whose artistry helped define The Eagles' early sound. Often called the unsung hero of The Eagles, Bernie's contributions — from intricate guitar and banjo work to his soaring harmonies — helped shape a sound that has resonated for decades.From his early exposure to bluegrass and folk music in Minneapolis to his groundbreaking work in the West Coast country-rock scene, Bernie Leadon has remained a quiet but powerful force in American music. In this episode, we follow Bernie's path before, during, and after The Eagles, all the way to his most recent solo album, where he revisits the roots that first inspired him.Bernard Leadon III was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, into a family that encouraged both creativity and education. While his father worked as an aeronautical engineer and his mother was a teacher, it was the sounds of bluegrass, folk, and country that truly captured young Bernie's imagination.By his teenage years, Bernie had mastered guitar, banjo, mandolin, and dobro, instruments that would become central to his career. After moving to San Diego, he immersed himself in the local music scene, connecting with influential figures like Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons, who would later become pivotal in the country-rock movement.Before joining The Eagles, Bernie Leadon played in several key bands that helped define the emerging country-rock genre. He worked with Hearts & Flowers, Dillard & Clark, and most famously, The Flying Burrito Brothers. During this period, Bernie became known as a musician who could add texture and authenticity to any song. His instrumental versatility and collaborative spirit made him highly sought after, setting the stage for his next big move.In 1971, Bernie Leadon joined Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Randy Meisner to form The Eagles. His influence was immediate. On the band's debut album, Eagles (1972), Bernie's mastery of the banjo, guitar, and mandolin was showcased on hits like Take It Easy and Peaceful Easy Feeling. His harmonies and songwriting contributions, including Train Leaves Here This Morning and Bitter Creek, helped define the band's distinctive country-rock sound.Bernie continued to shape The Eagles' music on Desperado (1973), On the Border (1974), and One of These Nights (1975). However, as the band gravitated toward a rock-oriented direction with the addition of Don Felder and later Joe Walsh, Bernie felt increasingly disconnected from the evolving sound. In 1975, after years of touring and creative differences, Bernie famously left the band, marking the end of an era for both him and The Eagles.Following his departure, Bernie Leadon remained highly active in the music industry. He became a respected session musician, contributing to recordings by Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Stephen Stills, Randy Newman, and many others. In 1977, he released his first solo album, Natural Progressions, blending his bluegrass roots with rock and folk influences.Over the decades, Bernie continued to perform, collaborate, and record — he returned to The Eagles' “History of the Eagles” tour in 2013.Today, Bernie Leadon has returned with a reflective new solo album called "Too Late to be Cool" showcasing the depth and authenticity that have characterised his entire career. In this episode, we talk about Bernie's journey, his thoughts on music, and what it means to create art on his own terms. Bernie's story is a testament to creativity, versatility, and staying true to one's musical voice.Whether you're a lifelong Eagles fan, a lover of country-rock, or someone curious about the musicians behind the music, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and reflections. Bernie Leadon may not always have sought the spotlight, but his impact on American music is undeniable.

durée : 00:09:49 - Le Point culture - par : Sophie-Catherine Gallet - De Johnny Cash à Dolly Parton, en passant par Gram Parsons, Taylor Swift ou même Beyoncé, la musique country est liée, dans son histoire comme dans sa géographie, aux racines des États-Unis. Aujourd'hui récupérée par la mode et le cinéma, la country reste un genre musical majeur outre-Atlantique. - réalisation : Laurence Malonda - invités : Clovis Goux Journaliste, Fondateur du label D.I.R.T.Y.

Music behind DJ: The Mile-Tones - "Trial of Love" [0:00:00] The Buckaroos Featuring Don Rich - "Anywhere U.S.A." [0:04:25] Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris - "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning" - GP [0:06:11] Charlie Albertson - "Ballad of Frisco Bay" [0:09:20] Herb Henson - "Man Holds Lightning In His Hands" [0:12:06] Donnie Rohrs - "Blues, Booze, and Baby On My Mind" [0:15:32] The Gee Cees - "Buzz Saw" [0:16:40] Music behind DJ: The Mile-Tones - "Trial of Love" [0:18:48] Dewey Knight - "Haulin' My Last Load" [0:22:53] John Prine and Iris Dement - "In Spite Of Ourselves" [0:28:26] Arizona Weston and the Westerners - "Live It Up" [0:30:53] Loyd Howell and The Brite Stars - "Truck Driving "Jack"" [0:31:16] Shirley B. - "Hamtramck Daddy" [0:33:53] Herbie Smith - "Sand Gap" [0:35:17] Ray Hatcher - "I'm Waiting Just For You" [0:41:29] Davy Mills - "Trenton State Prison" [0:43:11] Donnie Boyd and His Guitar (The Golden Boy) - "Martha" [0:46:12] Hot-Toddys featuring Big John - "Shakin' and Stompin'" [0:48:06] Music behind DJ: Donnie Boyd and His Guitar (The Golden Boy) - "Krunchy" [0:50:40] Wayne Kemp - "Babblin' Incoherently" [0:55:03] Jerry Jeff Walker - "Little Bird" - Viva Terlingua! [0:57:46] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/157678

Music behind DJ: The Mile-Tones - "Trial of Love" [0:00:00] The Buckaroos Featuring Don Rich - "Anywhere U.S.A." [0:04:25] Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris - "We'll Sweep Out The Ashes In The Morning" - GP [0:06:11] Charlie Albertson - "Ballad of Frisco Bay" [0:09:20] Herb Henson - "Man Holds Lightning In His Hands" [0:12:06] Donnie Rohrs - "Blues, Booze, and Baby On My Mind" [0:15:32] The Gee Cees - "Buzz Saw" [0:16:40] Music behind DJ: The Mile-Tones - "Trial of Love" [0:18:48] Dewey Knight - "Haulin' My Last Load" [0:22:53] John Prine and Iris Dement - "In Spite Of Ourselves" [0:28:26] Arizona Weston and the Westerners - "Live It Up" [0:30:53] Loyd Howell and The Brite Stars - "Truck Driving "Jack"" [0:31:16] Shirley B. - "Hamtramck Daddy" [0:33:53] Herbie Smith - "Sand Gap" [0:35:17] Ray Hatcher - "I'm Waiting Just For You" [0:41:29] Davy Mills - "Trenton State Prison" [0:43:11] Donnie Boyd and His Guitar (The Golden Boy) - "Martha" [0:46:12] Hot-Toddys featuring Big John - "Shakin' and Stompin'" [0:48:06] Music behind DJ: Donnie Boyd and His Guitar (The Golden Boy) - "Krunchy" [0:50:40] Wayne Kemp - "Babblin' Incoherently" [0:55:03] Jerry Jeff Walker - "Little Bird" - Viva Terlingua! [0:57:46] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/157678

Welcome back to Transmissions, a weekly interview podcast created and curated by Los Angeles online music magazine Aquarium Drunkard. This week on the show, host Jason P. Woodbury speaks with a living legend, and one of our all-time favorite vocalists and songsmiths: Emmylou Harris.  On November 7th, New West Records will re-release an expanded edition of her 1998 live album Spyboy, back in print after 27 years. Recorded in the wake 1995's Wrecking Ball, an LP that redefined Harris for a whole new generation, Spyboy finds Harris and her band—Buddy Miller, Brady Blade and Daryl Johnson—on the road and stretching out into feverish new territory for the storied singer. Harris released her first album in 1970, and along the way, she's collaborated with artists like country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and countless more. But as she settled into the ‘90s, she felt that country radio no longer made space for voices like hers—prompting a shift into a new direction with producer Daniel Lanois, who crafted a spectral, haunted sound for Wrecking Ball, placing her voice at the dreamy center. The resulting era introduced Harris to new ears—and we were thrilled to speak with her about it for this episode. Transmissions is created in partnership with the Talkhouse Podcast Network. We're brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aquarium Drunkard⁠⁠⁠⁠, an independent music media crew headed by Justin Gage. Over at Aquarium Drunkard, you'll gain access to 20 years of music writing, playlist, essays, mixtapes, radio special, podcasts, videos and more.

Chris Hillman, the original bassist of The Byrds, comes on the Goldmine Podcast to talk to staff contributor Lee Zimmerman. As a frequent collaborator with guitarist Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Hillman became a key figure in the development of country rock. His work with not only The Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, but also Manassas and the Desert Rose Band, helped define the Americana genre. On this podcast episode, Hillman discusses the past — especially his relationships with Parsons and David Crosby — and what he is up to in the present (the release of a limited-edition, double live album by The Desert Rose Band titled Live at The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the LEGENDS: Podcast by All Day Vinyl, host Scott Dudelson sits down with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer inductee and Eagles co-founder Bernie Leadon for a rare conversation about his experience laying the ground-work for the country rock genre and his first solo album in over 20 years, Too Late to Be Cool, produced by the legendary Glyn Johns. Bernie opens up about how rejoining the Eagles on tour reignited his creativity, the years he spent building his own home studio, and the disciplined songwriting routine that led to this long-awaited record. In this episode we also go deep into Bernie's formative years — from San Diego and Gainesville to Los Angeles — with a focus on exploring his time in Hearts and Flowers, Dillard & Clark, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Along the way, Bernie recalls collaborations with Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, and Gram Parsons that helped lay the foundation for country rock. He also shares the story behind re-using a 45-year-old Henry Diltz photo for the album cover and why working again with Glyn Johns felt like coming full circle. The episode is packed with behind-the-scenes stories: wild nights at the Troubadour, the Dillard & Clark's infamous onstage meltdown, the formation and early days with The Eagles and how Bernie's own songs ultimately became Eagles classics. He reflects on the meaning behind “Too Many Memories,” the influential people who shaped his path, and why — after decades in music — he has no regrets. If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe, rate, and follow us on Instagram and YouTube at All Day Vinyl.

This episode centers on music icon and Winter Haven native Gram Parsons. Parsons career took off in California, but his life began in Florida.Bob Kealing, author of "Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock" joins us to discuss. Catch Bob October 9, 2025, at Florida Southern College in Lakeland for a lecture about Elvis' time in Florida.Gram Parsons' Derry Down music venue.

On this week's show, a rock star's body gets stolen, a Prince recording gets the attention of Congress, an offhand comment by Bob Dylan turns into a concert charity event, & we say happy birthday to 3 legends who were all born on the same date of September 23. For more music history, subscribe to my Spotify Channel or subscribe to the audio version of my music history podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts fromALL MUSIC HISTORY TODAY PODCAST NETWORK LINKS - https://allmylinks.com/musichistorytoday

Gram Parsons is one of the most influential musicians in rock ‘n' roll that you've maybe never heard of. He created a form of music that has been copied by everyone from the Eagles to Ryan Adams. He directly influenced the Rolling Stones' greatest album, possibly the greatest rock ‘n' roll album of all time, Exile on Main Street. And when he died his body was stolen and unceremoniously disposed of. This is the story of Gram Parsons' life, death and very strange aftermath. To see the complete list of contributors, visit ⁠disgracelandpod.com⁠ This episode was originally published on January 12, 2021. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - ⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠ Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠X⁠ (formerly Twitter)  ⁠Facebook Fan Group⁠ ⁠TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rock N Roll Archaeology explores the 1970s LA Sound, a world of sun-drenched harmonies and seismic ambition. From a bizarre funeral pact for Gram Parsons at the Troubadour to the rise of the Eagles from Linda Ronstadt's backing band, this is the story of how a community of folk idealists, including Jackson Browne, gave birth to a billion-dollar industry. We chart the collision course between artistic collaboration and corporate rock, right on the fault line. Producer and Host: Christian Swain Head Writer: Richard Evans Sound Designer: Jerry Danielsen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gram Parsons: Dark Death of the Cosmic Cowboy   Few musicians have started a genre—but that's what Gram Parsons did. He is the reigning pioneer of country rock—a huge influence on bands that came after, most notably, The Eagles. However, fate pays little attention to achievement, and Gram's life is clouded with a gothic darkness, culminating in the sordid details of his demise. Dr. Clarke takes you back in time to Joshua Tree. It's 1973. Let the tale unfold.

On the July 29 edition of Music History Today podcast, Gram Parsons quits over principle, Cream debuts, and Cass Elliot passes away and it was NOT by choking on a ham sandwich. Plus, it's Geddy Lee's birthday!!For more music history, subscribe to my Spotify Channel or subscribe to the audio version of my music history podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts fromALL MUSIC HISTORY TODAY PODCAST NETWORK LINKS - https://allmylinks.com/musichistorytodayResources for mental health issues - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lineshttps://findahelpline.comResources for substance abuse issues - https://988lifeline.orghttps://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason chats about his early days in Traffic, writing the classic "Feelin' Alright?", working with Delaney & Bonnie, and so much more. PART ONEScott and Paul chat about Dave Mason's unique role in the rock & roll pantheon.PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Dave Mason.ABOUT DAVE MASONAfter recording background vocals with The Spencer Davis Group on such hits as "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man," Dave Mason became a founding member of the British rock group Traffic alongside Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Chris Wood. He wrote some of the band's best-known songs, including “Hole in My Shoe” and “Feelin' Alright?” which went on to be covered in a memorable version by Joe Cocker. After touring and recording with Delaney & Bonnie (who recorded Dave's song “Only You Know and I Know”), he joined an early version of Eric Clapton's Derek & The Dominos. Dave soon left to pursue a solo career, beginning with the Alone Together album. He has released three Gold-certified solo albums and one Platinum album, Let It Flow, which featured the hit “We Just Disagree.” In addition to his solo releases and a duet album with Mama Cass Elliot, Dave has appeared on such legendary recordings as “Street Fighting Man” by the Rolling Stones, “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix, “Listen to What the Man Said” by Paul McCartney and Wings, as well as George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album. In the 1990s Dave spent time as a member of Fleetwood Mac, contributing original songs to the band's Time album in 1995. He has recorded with Michael Jackson, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Donovan, Phoebe Snow, and many others. Dave was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Traffic and, in 2024, published his memoir, Only You Know and I Know. 

Your Political Beats hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) get the opportunity to spend a little more time with singer/songwriter/bandleader/advocate/professor David Lowery (@DavidCLowery)Now-frequent (two times is frequent, right?) Political Beats guest David Lowery returns to the show to talk about his magnificent new solo record Fathers, Sons and Brothers.For those unaware, David is the founder of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker as well as a long-time advocate for artists' rights. He also serves as Senior Lecturer in Music Business at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. David previously joined us for more than three hours to discuss the music created by both of his bands -- the original version is here and the remastered version (higher audio quality and additional song clips) is right here -- so we don't spend time at all reviewing that content. The new album is good enough that it deserves its own place in the sun.As David himself describes Fathers, Sons and Brothers, "In lieu of an uninteresting written autobiography I've made this record. I do this not so much to tell my own story but to pay tribute to my mother, father, sisters, extended family, friends, and those who have shared their lives with me." It tells the story of his life, career, and loved ones. The songs are deeply affecting and carry a somewhat unexpected emotional heft. The closing kick -- "Vending Machine," '"Fathers, Sons, and Brothers," "Yonder Distant Shore," "Darken Your Door," "Giving Tree Father" -- is just one gut punch after another when you realize the stories being told. It's all just further evidence that Lowery is peerless among his generation's songwriters and deserves even more acclaim than he has received.During this conversation, we spend time trying to define the sound of the new record (we suggest an extension of Gram Parsons's "Cosmic American Music" idea), the backstories behind a few of the songs, how the album's narrative took shape and propels the record forward, and where he finds his joy these days in performing live music. There's even a question about religion buried in here.If you love CVB, you'll love this album. If you love Cracker, you'll love this album. If you love Political Beats, well, we're pretty sure you'll love this album. Many of the songs are cinematic in their scope; you literally can picture these scenes playing out in your mind. These tracks are elevated by spending time with the lyric sheet and appreciating the nuances and care taken in the storytelling. Be sure to check out David and Cracker (full band and solo dates) live through the rest of the summer. He indicated a more extensive slate of dates supporting Fathers, Sons and Brothers could be on the way this fall. If you're out and about, you might see Scot at any Detroit-area show and Jeff at any Chicago-area shows. These songs certainly deserve to be seen live.

Gun fights, heroin trafficking, burglaries, kidnapping threats, intra-band infidelity and the greatest rock ‘n' roll record ever made, Exile on Main St. The Rolling Stones created this album as fugitives––tax fugitives––exiled from their homeland to the French Riviera and desperate to keep their career afloat after a near decade of scandal and near financial ruin amidst a cast of colorful characters including Gram Parsons, Anita Pallenberg, starlets, aristocrats, drug dealers, junkies and thieves. All of the chaos contributed to one of Keith Richards' and Mick Jagger's finest creative achievements, a wholly new and unique interpretation of America. To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at ⁠www.disgracelandpod.com⁠. This episode was originally published on July 23, 2019. To listen to Disgraceland ad free and get access to a monthly exclusive episode, weekly bonus content and more, become a Disgraceland All Access member at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠disgracelandpod.com/membership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Sign up for our newsletter and get the inside dirt on events, merch and other awesomeness - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GET THE NEWSLETTER⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jake and DISGRACELAND: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (formerly Twitter)  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook Fan Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In This Episode Patreon Transition Update: The show is officially off RedCircle—Brian clears up confusion and shares how to access all premium content via Patreon. Ghosts of Hotel Rooms Past: Brian books a stay at the infamous Room 8 at the Joshua Tree Inn—the same room where Gram Parsons died—and lives to tell the tale. Weekly RIP Roundup: Loretta Swit (Hot Lips from MASH*) Jonathan Joss (King of the Hill) Ed Gale (the original Chucky actor) Peter Kwong (Big Trouble in Little China) Alf Clausen (longtime Simpsons composer) Mike “The Body Snatcher” McCallum (Jamaican boxer) Bernie Kerik (disgraced NYPD chief and Rudy's 9/11 crony) Celebrity & Sports News: Pee-wee Herman documentary rave review Tim Robinson's “Friendship” movie analysis John Mellencamp vs. Pat McAfee: a Midwest culture clash Knicks fans, Pacers beef, and NBA playoffs drama Mary Lou Retton's surprising DUI arrest Cardi B & Stefon Diggs go Instagram official—via backshots & twerking WTF of the Week: A woman sues her ex-boyfriend for farting in her face and giving her seven years of sinus infections Kid Cudi testifies about Diddy breaking into his home and unwrapping his Christmas presents out of revenge Turkey fines passengers for standing before the plane lands—because of hair plug tourists Sydney Sweeney is selling soap infused with her bathwater and somehow… we're okay with it.

Six String Hayride Classic Country Podcast, Episode 58 Louisiana Guitar Man, James Burton.James Burton is the guitar behind the classic Ricky Nelson hits, The Elvis Presley TCB Band, The Emmylou Harris "Hot Band" , John Denver's 1980's music, and much more. The man Keith Richards calls, "Master of the Telecaster" , Burton and his pink paisley telecaster are all over country, western, rockabilly, and rock and roll records you have been listening to for years. Working with Ricky Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Presley, Elvis Costello, Buffalo Springfield, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons, Michael Nesmith, and Keith Richards, Burton has the talent and the telecaster to bring the perfect guitar parts to anything he plays. Chris and Jim discuss Burton's guitar playing and share a fine recipe for Louisiana Beignets. Join us for Six String Hayride Podcast Episode 58.https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086513555749https://www.patreon.com/user?u=81625843

Send us a textOn this episode, we discuss Grievous Angel, the last album recorded by one of the most interesting, tragic, and influential people in modern music: Gram Parsons.   In just six short years, from 1967 until his death in the fall of 1973, Gram Parson help pioneer what would become known as country rock, or what he preferred to call  "Cosmic American Music." In those six years, he made several landmark albums with the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, as well recording two solo albums. None were commercially successful at the time of their release, but they cast a long shadow on the music of the later half of the 20th Century, and continue to do so today. Its difficult for modern listeners to understand how unique and innovative Parsons vision of blending elements of country, rock, folk, and (most importantly) soul was at the time because it has influenced so much that came after that its uniqueness gets lost crowd.For Grievous Angel, Parsons was able to get some of the best musicians in the business backing him. He also could recognize talent when he saw it and knew having Emmy Lou Harris as his duet partner would create magic, which it most certainly did. Released just months after Parsons untimely death, and containing some of his most beautiful, songs Grievous Angel is a remarkable and poignant album that chronicles Parsons influences and his devotion to traditional country music, while showcasing his ability to blend those influences with other genres into something entirely original.  Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

In this special Rock is Lit episode—available exclusively on ⁠YouTube⁠—legendary rock and film photographer Kim Gottlieb-Walker joins Christy to talk about her novel, ‘Lenswoman in Love', a love story steeped in the sights and sounds of the 1960s and 1970s music and film scenes. Kim shares behind-the-scenes stories of working with a young Cameron Crowe and shooting icons like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Gram Parsons, and Jim Morrison. She also discusses what it was like to be a film set still photographer on classics like John Carpenter's ‘Halloween' and TV shows like 'Cheers' and 'Family Ties'. As a bonus, Kim walks us through a visual slideshow of her iconic photography that inspired moments in her novel. This is a rare, can't-miss episode best experienced with your eyes and ears. WATCH HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiLtXU71l8   For Kim's full bio, see her website. LINKS: Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Goodpods: ⁠⁠https://goodpods.com/podcasts/rock-is-lit-212451⁠⁠ Leave a rating and comment for Rock is Lit on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rock-is-lit/id1642987350⁠⁠ Kim Gottlieb-Walker's website: ⁠⁠http://lenswoman.com/⁠⁠ Kim on Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/KimGottliebWalker⁠⁠ Lens Woman in Love Facebook page: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/938323581755313⁠⁠ Kim on Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kimgottliebwalker/⁠⁠ Kim on Bluesky: ⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/kimgottliebwalker.bsky.social⁠⁠ Rock is Lit on Instagram & Bluesky: @rockislitpodcast Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram and YouTube: @christyhallberg Christy Alexander Hallberg on Facebook: @ChristyAlexanderHallberg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back on the airwaves of Vinyl Community Podcasts, Alex (Beer & Vinyl) shares a recent interview with musician/songwriter M Ross Perkins. M Ross Perkins is currently a featured artist on the Colemine Records label, and has a new album that dropped on May 2nd (interview recorded prior) entitled "What's The Matter, M Ross?" Composed, performed, and recorded completely by Perkins in his Dayton, OH studio, What's the Matter… is both the most stripped down and expansive within his tryptic of albums ("Wrong, Wrong, Wrong", "E Pluribus M Ross", and Now "What's The Matter..."). The headphone symphonies move with a deliberate, composed sophistication while the lyrics explore fresh territory, turning the camera away from the “butterscotch revue” and pointing it into a mirror. "The touchstones of psych pop remain: flourishes of Nilsson are still here, but so are Gram Parsons and Jonathan Richman. If you want to assign geography to What's the Matter, M Ross?, the album is equal parts Laurel Canyon and Big Pink, more Woodstock the town than the festival. Perkins is a self-contained (late-period) Teenage Fanclub with George Harrison's spiritual sense of inner wanderlust. Want a free copy? Available to anyone in lower 48 states head over to the Beer & Vinyl YouTube channel (specific video link below) and comment with some kind of musical connection to the state of Ohio. Deadline to enter is May 16th, 2025. And don't forget to check out thew new album "What's the Matter, M Ross" at your local independent record store or direct from Colemine Records (link also below). Bottoms up!

The Cars' self-titled 1978 debut record changed the world of power pop forever. Guitarist and co-vocalist Ric Ocasek penned all the tunes, but lead guitarist Elliott Easton transformed them with his tasteful 6-string stylings. This time on Shred With Shifty, Easton sits down with Chris Shiflett to show him how to play the solo from “My Best Friend's Girl.” Born in Brooklyn before winding up in Long Island, Easton washed dishes to save up for his first 1971 Fender Telecaster, and after high school he studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he picked up key theory and technique that he still holds dear. Reared on country and rockabilly players like Roy Buchanan, Jesse Ed Davis, Gram Parsons, James Burton, and Roy Nichols, Easton brought a slick twang to Ocasek's new-wave gems. Easton tells Shifty how the band came to work with producer Roy Thomas Baker in London, while crashing at a label-provided mansion nearby and driving a loaned Jaguar and Land Rover to the sessions. Easton's celebrated leads didn't take long to come together. “On my mother's memory, I did all my guitar parts in a day and a half,” he says. All he had with him was a 1978 or '77 Telecaster with a Bartolini Firebird-style mini humbucker in it, a red Les Paul, a Martin acoustic, and two effects: the brand-new Boss CE-1 and a Morley EVO-1 Echo Volume pedal. His amp of choice in those days? An Ampeg VT-22 or VT-40. After running down his giddy-up guitar parts from “Best Friend's Girl,” Easton talks about which modern players impress him, why he doesn't consider himself a shredder, and the experience of working with Mutt Lange: “I spent as much time tuning with him as playing!” If you're able to help, here are some charities aimed at assisting musicians affected by the fires in L.A:  https://guitarcenterfoundation.org https://www.cciarts.org/relief.html https://www.musiciansfoundation.org https://fireaidla.org https://www.musicares.org https://www.sweetrelief.org Full Video Episodes: http://volume.com/shifty  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1690423642 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4B8BSR0l78qwUKJ5gOGIWb iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-shred-with-shifty-116270551/ Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/shred-with-shifty/PC:1001071314 Follow Chris Shiflett: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisshiflettmusic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shifty71 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris.shiflett Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisshiflett71 Website: http://www.chrisshiflettmusic.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5tv5SsSRqR7uLtpKZgcRrg?si=26kWS1v2RYaE4sS7KnHpag Producer: Jason Shadrick Executive Producers: Brady Sadler and Jake Brennan for Double Elvis Engineering support by Matt Tahaney and Matt Beaudion Video Editor: Addison Sauvan Graphic Design: Megan Pralle Special thanks to Jon Romeo, Michelle Yoon, Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.

171 - Jock Bartley (Firefall) In episode 171 of Have Guitar Will Travel”, presented by Vintage Guitar Magazine, host James Patrick Regan speaks with the original guitarist and leader of the band Firefall, Jock Bartley. In their conversation Jock discusses briefly what living in Colorado is like both now and early on… and why he never made the move to LA. Jock tells us about the two most recent Firefall releases both concept albums focusing on the songs of Firefall's contemporary bands that the original members were at times members of. Jock talks about his early musical experiences studying with guitarist Johnny Smith in Colorado Springs on a Gibson ES-140 he bought from Johnny's shop. Jock describes being hired by Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris and touring with them. Jock tells us about his guitars: his 1958 Gibson sunburst Les Paul and his 1959 Fender Telecaster as well as a custom Paul Reed Smith that he plays through a Fender Super. Jock then explains the formation of Firefall which was a type of super group for the era and then after the heyday for the band how he kept the band alive to this point. Finally Jock tells us why he's considering selling his ‘58 Les Paul. To find out more about what Jock and Firefall are up too you can go to their website: FirefallOfficial.com Please subscribe, like, comment, share and review this podcast! #VintageGuitarMagazine #JockBartley #Firefall #GibsonGuitar #GramParsons #EmmylouHarris #VintageGuitar #Zephyr #Burst #theDeadlies #haveguitarwilltravelpodcast #HGWT . . . Please like, comment, and share this podcast! Download Link

Where has the time gone?!!    We began coming straight out of the Covid closures in the back of Alan Garcia's garage podcast studio in Essexville in February of 2021. Now we fire up in our new comfy confines of the Bay City Historical Museum Second Floor where the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends displays can be witnessed. When we first moved to the Museum, you could hear us trying areas, tables, spaces. Now we have our own 'couch relaxed' room, boom mic'd and offering even more quality as our MMHP989 brand continues to expand by word of mouth from music lover to music lover, musician to musician, fan to DJ, author to Podcaster. We are 118 episodes deep according to Apple Podcasting--sounds about right!    Because of YOU listeners and our first class guests, we are getting requests from more music legends now to help tell their story and be featured on our show. As we roll into year four, we plan to expand the horizons and look at our show from other angles. The best is yet to come!    In our four year catch up, Dr. J dishes out the details behind our new first class operation, discusses state of the state of the amazing Michigan Rock Hall (have you visited it yet?), we talk about our joy of the show and how its reached beyond the state of Michigan, and we get a deep dive into an artist whom has passed away from Saginaw, songwriter Bob Buchanan who wrote the great Hickory Wind with the late Gram Parsons while on a train, members of the International Submarine Band. Told only as Sir Fred can, bruises and all! We are lucky to have this outlet for this story--so stick around for it. Sit back and celebrate our Fourth Anniversary with the MMHP989!

It was without question a natural progression. All of the attributes that country inherited from gospel, blues, and jazz resulted in what amounted to competition in the charts (and in some mid-century cultural clashes). Although The Beatles had suggested a kinship with mid-sixties tributes to Buck Owens and Chet Atkins, the only comfortable way to make the marriage work was to have it come from other directions…specifically from cultural prods of Nudie suits, coupled with folk and country nudges, and the inevitable respect for the music. Gram Parsons' influence on the late sixties rise of something they called ‘country rock' is easy to find but Dylan's John Wesley Harding album from 1968, The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and Leon Russell's alter-ego Hank Wilson opened the doors to a sound that swept the charts. We'll hear some originals, covers, and a whole lot more in this week's Deeper Roots. Hope y'all can join us.

The team dives deep into the eerie mysteries surrounding Death Valley. From the restless spirit of rock star Gram Parsons haunting Joshua Tree to the strange disappearance of a German family in the unforgiving desert, each story reveals layers of intrigue and speculation. Adding to the mystery is the elusive Yucca Man, a Bigfoot-like creature reportedly seen by military personnel near secretive bases. Together, Brandon, BT, and Lindsy connect these strange tales, exploring the idea that the Mojave Desert is a hotbed for paranormal activity, hidden energies, and possibly even dimensional portals. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, this episode will make you question what really lies within the vast, desolate landscape of Death Valley.https://join.unrefinedpodcast.comFor recovery assistance :Gram Parson's daughter's Ranch=> https://hickorywindranch.com/Timestamps:00:11 - Introduction to Death Valley mysteries00:28 - Hosts discuss the eerie allure of the Mojave Desert00:58 - Introducing the Death Valley Germans, Gram Parsons, and Yucca Man03:25 - Story of Gram Parsons and his connection to Joshua Tree05:52 - Strange events surrounding Parsons' death and desert cremation08:12 - Hauntings at Joshua Tree Inn's Room 810:33 - Discussion of hauntings and paranormal sightings in Joshua Tree12:53 - Theories on paranormal recordings and “stacked time”15:19 - Introducing the mystery of the Death Valley Germans17:42 - Background of the missing German family20:09 - Theories on why the family vanished in the desert22:22 - Exploring connections to nearby military bases24:47 - Speculations about cults, cartels, and missing remains26:49 - Creepy theories surrounding missing persons in Death Valley29:08 - Introduction to Yucca Man and strange desert creatures31:25 - Eyewitness accounts of giant, hairy creatures with glowing eyes33:52 - Indigenous legends of mysterious beings in the Mojave36:10 - Connections between Bigfoot sightings and Edwards Air Force Base38:25 - “Old Blue Eyes” and military personnel encounters with Yucca Man40:51 - Theories about Bigfoot and portals in the Mojave Desert43:15 - Speculations on Bigfoot as supernatural or ancient beings45:39 - Biblical worldview on paranormal desert entities48:06 - Exploring Death Valley as a paranormal “hotspot”50:32 - Outro and ways for listeners to connect with the Unrefined Podcast

Legendary drummer Willie Cantu is on the show today, the sole surviving member of the ultimate lineup of one of the greatest ensembles of all time - Buck Owens' Buckaroos. I've talked about the Buckaroos on this show a number of times - they keep coming up in discussions with various folks, and I'll say it again that I think that mid to late 60's lineup is as electrifying a band as any band of that era, no matter what genre. That lineup of Buck, Willie on drums, Don Rich on guitar, fiddle and vocals, Tom Brumley on steel and Doyle Holly on bass were like a finely tuned Ferrari in their heyday. They looked slick and they played and sang like no one else, anywhere. Songs like “Together Again”, “I Don't Care”, “Open Up Your Heart”, “Sam's Place” and so many classic albums defined the sound of Bakersfield country which was in stark contrast to the smooth sounds coming out of Nashville in those days. Their influence can be heard directly on everyone from the Beatles to CCR, Gram Parsons to Dwight Yoakam. Willie is an accomplished jazz drummer, and while he was in one of the great country bands of all time, it's very evident that jazz is his real love. He's from Corpus Christi, Texas, and joined the Buckaroos when he was 17 in 1964. We had an epic visit and I did have to edit it way down, even though this sucker still clocks in at about 2 hours. Maybe we'll do a part 2 somewhere down the line! For some essential listening, be sure to check out the 2 Buck Owens live albums that feature Willie - The Carnegie Hall Concert and Live in Japan! They are both amazing documents of a band in their prime. After the Buckaroos, Willie has been involved in some very interesting jazz and improvisational music, which you can check out here. Willie doesn't have a website and is being more selective about his gigs these days, but if you're in Nashville, keep your ear to the ground and maybe you'll catch him playing at a jazz club or Robert's Western World. you never know! So now, please enjoy my conversation with Willie Cantu!This season is brought to you by our sponsors Larivée Guitars and Fishman AmplificationYou can join our Patreon here to get all episodes ad-free, as well as access to all early episodesThe show's website can be found at www.makersandshakerspodcast.com Get ad-free episodes and access to all early episodes by subscribing to Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textWelcome to Guess the Year! This is an interactive, competitive podcast series where you will be able to play along and compete against your fellow listeners. Here is how the scoring works:10 points: Get the year dead on!7 points: 1-2 years off4 points: 3-5 years off1 point: 6-10 years offGuesses can be emailed to drandrewmay@gmail.com or texted using the link at the top of the show notes (please leave your name).I will read your scores out before the next episode, along with the scores of your fellow listeners! Please email your guesses to Andrew no later than 12pm EST on the day the next episode posts if you want them read out on the episode (e.g., if an episode releases on Monday, then I need your guesses by 12pm EST on Wednesday; if an episode releases on Friday, then I need your guesses by 12 pm EST on Monday). Note: If you don't get your scores in on time, they will still be added to the overall scores I am keeping. So they will count for the final scores - in other words, you can catch up if you get behind, you just won't have your scores read out on the released episode. All I need is your guesses (e.g., Song 1 - 19xx, Song 2 - 20xx, Song 3 - 19xx, etc.). Please be honest with your guesses! Best of luck!!The answers to today's ten songs can be found below. If you are playing along, don't scroll down until you have made your guesses. .....Have you made your guesses yet? If so, you can scroll down and look at the answers......Okay, answers coming. Don't peek if you haven't made your guesses yet!.....Intro song: Who's Got the Crack by The Moldy Peaches (2001)Song 1: Savoy Truffle by The Beatles (1968)Song 2: All My Tears by Emmylou Harris (1995)Song 3: The Breaks by Kurtis Blow (1980)Song 4: Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes (1964)Song 5: John Hughes by Anamanaguchi (2013)Song 6: Whatever You Like by T.I. (2008)Song 7: Dream All Day by The Posies (1993)Song 8: Our Most Desperate Hour by Nita Strauss (2018)Song 9: Hard Times Blues by The Razor Ramones (2019)Song 10: In My Hour of Darkness by Gram Parsons (1974)

Chip and Jeff are stoked to chat about the supernatural horror classic “Poltergeist” (1982). They also discuss whisky drinks, Secret Brits, nerd minutiae, JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Top 100 Movie Quotes Quiz, scary trailers, "How would Chip Do When Facing Certain Monsters," Chuck Cunningham, Mike Myers, The Tubs, Detroiters, epic Gram Parsons story, and much more goodness!

Standing at the crossroad, Roz flags a ride with none other than satanic doo-wop duo Alexandra and Zachary James, aka TWIN TEMPLE! Leaving nothing but a trail of flames, they tear off into the night to discuss a photoshoot with the ghost of Gram Parsons, Alexandra's terrifying night at the notorious Gunter Hotel, and the inclusive philosophy of satanism. Want to share YOUR paranormal experience on the podcast? Email your *short* stories to GhostedByRoz@gmail.com and maybe Roz will read it out loud on the show... or even call you! Be sure to follow the show @GhostedByRoz on Instagram. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwYCsr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

***This show is brought to you by DistroKid. Go to http://distrokid.com/vip/the500 for 30% off your first year!*** -The Flying Burrito Brothers helped forge the connection between rock and country with their 1969 debut album, The Gilded Palace of Sin. What they lacked in longevity, they made up for with a big influence in rock and country music. Long-time blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd and friend of The 500 Wayne Federman discuss Gram Parsons and more with Josh.  Follow Kenny on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kennywayneshepherd/ Follow Kenny on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KennyWShepherd Kenny Wayne Shepherd Tour Dates & “Dirt On My Diamons 2”  https://www.kennywayneshepherd.net/ Follow Wayne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djmortycoyle Follow Wayne on Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/instafederman Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshadammeyers/ Follow Josh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoshAdamMeyers Follow Josh on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshameyers Follow The 500 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the500podcast/ Follow The 500 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/the500podcast Follow The 500 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The500PodcastWithJAM/ Email the show: 500podcast@gmail.com Check the show's website: http://the500podcast.com DistroKid Artist Of The Week: Yarn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARlEVJ_l2KE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're looking for great Heartland Rock, a great choice would be the album Against the Wind.  Depending on how you count it, it could be considered Bob Seger's eleventh studio album, but it is the third album of the iteration known as Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band.  Seger is joined by Drew Abbott on guitar, Chris Campbell on bass, and David Teegarden on drums.  The band became the Silver Bullet Band a bit by accident.  They were arguing about what to call themselves, and the manager got tired of it.  When they got paid the manager wrote the name "Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band" on the paycheck and the name stuck.  Against the Wind was an immediate success.  It went to number 2 on the Billboard 200 charts in its third week, and it sat there for 5 weeks, kepts out of the top slot by Pink Floyd's monster hit album, "The Wall."  Finally, it topped "The Wall" to take the number 1 slot and remained there for six weeks, making it Bob Seger's most successful album in his career.There are a number of well known hits on this album, and an excellent collection of musicians as well.  In addition to the Silver Bullet Band, Seger makes use of session musicians out of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, and is joined by backing vocals from members of the Eagles as well.Seger retired at the end of 2019, but he performed in 2023 at Patty Loveless's induction in to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, so we hold out hope that there will be some occasional performances still to come.Bruce presents this folksy heartland singer songwriter for this week's podcast.. Her StrutWhile not released as a single, this song received some airplau as the B-side to "The Horizontal Bop."  Seger has been criticized for his adolescent humor in this song, but he claims that the inspiration for it was feminist activist Jane Fonda and her appearance before the Campaign for Economic Democracies.Against the WindBob Seger has written a number of songs about looking back on life, and the title track is an example of this.  Seger was a cross country runner in high school, and he uses running as a metaphor for growing old.  This song went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he is joined by his friend and Eagles alumnus Glenn Frey for backing vocals.Fire LakeThis track is about taking risks, risking love, and just heading off with a bunch of wild people.  Seger recorded this one at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios.  If the backing vocals sounds a lot like the Eagles, there is a reason for it - those backing vocalists are Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Timothy B. Schmit.  You'll Accomp'ny MeThis ballad is a little more country, with lyrics that basically say, "look, you may be playing the field now, but we both know in the end we'll be together."  Little Feat co-founder Bill Payne joins Seger on this track to provide organ, synth, and piano parts.  It hit number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Sleepless Nights by Gram Parsons (from the motion picture "Cruising")Al Pacino starred in this crime thriller about a serial killer targeting gay men.   STAFF PICKS:I Like to Rock by April WineWayne rocks out to start the staff picks with this Canadian band.  April Wine formed in 1969, and have released over 20 albums.  This song may be time stamped in the early 80's but it rocks out, and you can't beat lyrics like, "journey to the stars, Rock N Roll guitars!" Take the Long Way Home by SupertrampRob brings us one of the hits off Supertramp's multi-platinum album, "Breakfast in America."  The lyrics to this one depict a couple growing apart as the husband starts staying away from home due to feeling like he's being ignored.  It can also be a reflection of missed opportunities to live in alignment with your heart, and not being at peace with yourself.Rock With You by Michael JacksonLynch features a hit from MJ's disco album, "Off the Wall."  Original lyrics were a bit more suggestive, but these were toned down to fit Jackson's wholesome image at the time.  Rod Temperton wrote "Rock with You" as his first song for Jackson, setting the stage for more collaborations, including the iconic "Thriller." I Wanna Be Your Lover by PrinceBruce's staff pick is the lead single from Prince's self-titled second album, and his first major hit, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1980.  Prince performs lead and backing vocals, and plays all instruments on this hit.  The end of the track includes an extended instrumental jam which is edited out for the single. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Give It All You Got by Chuck Mangioni Flugelhorn player Mangioni wrote this song for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.   Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

Hello and welcome to How Did I Get Here? From The Vault! Today we go back to September 12, 2023 for episode 1312 with Jock Bartley from legendary 70's soft rock band, Firefall. Below are my original notes from the show. Enjoy!   Hello friends! Jock Bartley, founding member of legendary 70's band, Firefall is my guest for episode 1312! Firefall's latest album, Friends & Family, a uniquely personal tribute album where they imbue their distinctive sound into songs by Fleetwood Mac, The Byrds, The Band, The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Heart and other classic rock legends. Friends & Family comes out on September 22nd on Sunset Blvd. Records. Go to firefallofficial.com for tour dates, music, merch and more! Jock and I have a great conversation about the decision to pay tribute to their Friends & Family and some of the stories behind the songs, playing guitar for Gram Parsons on tour, forming Firefall in 1974 in Boulder with Mark Andes, bassist from Spirit and Jo Jo Gunn, Larry Burnett and drummer Michael Clarke from The Byrds and Flying Burrito Bros, keeping a band going for five decades and much more. I had a great time getting to know Jock. I'm sure you will too. Let's get down!   Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you pod.   If you feel so inclined. Venmo: www.venmo.com/John-Goudie-1  Paypal: paypal.me/johnnygoudie    

Welcome to The Singers Talk Podcast based on my book of the same name. This week you'll hear my conversation with Emmylou Harris. A Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee. Winner of 14 Grammy Awards, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award. An absolute legend. And one of my favorite voices of all-time.   In this episode you're also gonna hear us talk about the shimmer that a song should have. What she learned early on from collaborating with Gram Parsons. How she overcame some vocal issues. The importance of a great producer. What it takes to make a confident leap of faith. And the key to great harmony singing from one of the best to ever do it. It's no coincidence that she has sung with so many legends from Mavis Staples to Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson. Roy Orbison, Patty Griffin, Lucinda Williams, John Prine and Neil Young to name a few. She was in a supergroup called Trio with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt.. and we're gonna discuss all of it and much more.   All my writer's royalties from sales of the book benefit the kids and families at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through our Music Gives to St. Jude Kids campaign. So I'd love for you to grab yourself a copy. And be sure to check out every episode of the podcast, our livestreams, and more at Volume.com/thesingerstalk. And if you like the show, please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite streaming platforms to make sure you hear every new episode. Volume.com is the destination for live music fans, where you can watch live and on-demand performances, see exclusive artist content, listen to music podcasts, and check out live music streams from your favorite artists, venues, and hosts.   Get The Singers Talk book at: Thesingerstalk.com   Donate to St. Jude at: Musicgives.org   You can find JTG @Kingsizetheband Kingsizetheband.com    Jason Thomas Gordon is the lead singer/drummer of the Los Angeles rock band Kingsize, a screenwriter, author, and creator of Music Gives to St. Jude Kids, a campaign that raises money and awareness for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through music-based initiatives. St. Jude was founded by Jason's grandfather, entertainer, Danny Thomas, in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1962. Jason also serves as a National Committee member of the hospital's board.          

For those who haven't heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the fourth and final part of a four-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock, this time mostly focused on what Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman did after leaving the band. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode, on “The Dark End of the Street” by James Carr. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ (more…)

For those who haven't heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a multi-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode, on "With a Little Help From My Friends" by Joe Cocker. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Resources No Mixcloud at this time as there are too many Byrds songs in the first chunk, but I will try to put together a multi-part Mixcloud when all the episodes for this song are up. My main source for the Byrds is Timeless Flight Revisited by Johnny Rogan, I also used Chris Hillman's autobiography, the 331/3 books on The Notorious Byrd Brothers and The Gilded Palace of Sin, I used Barney Hoskyns' Hotel California and John Einarson's Desperadoes as general background on Californian country-rock, Calling Me Hone, Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock by Bob Kealing for information on Parsons, and Requiem For The Timeless Vol 2 by Johnny Rogan for information about the post-Byrds careers of many members. Information on Gary Usher comes from The California Sound by Stephen McParland. And this three-CD set is a reasonable way of getting most of the Byrds' important recordings. The International Submarine Band's only album can be bought from Bandcamp. Patreon This podcast is brought to you by the generosity of my backers on Patreon. Why not join them? Transcript Before we begin, a brief warning – this episode contains brief mentions of suicide, alcoholism, abortion, and heroin addiction, and a brief excerpt of chanting of a Nazi slogan. If you find those subjects upsetting, you may want to read the transcript rather than listen. As we heard in the last part, in October 1967 Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman fired David Crosby from the Byrds. It was only many years later, in a conversation with the group's ex-manager Jim Dickson, that Crosby realised that they didn't actually have a legal right to fire him -- the Byrds had no partnership agreement, and according to Dickson given that the original group had been Crosby, McGuinn, and Gene Clark, it would have been possible for Crosby and McGuinn to fire Hillman, but not for McGuinn and Hillman to fire Crosby. But Crosby was unaware of this at the time, and accepted a pay-off, with which he bought a boat and sailed to Florida, where saw a Canadian singer-songwriter performing live: [Excerpt: Joni Mitchell, "Both Sides Now (live Ann Arbor, MI, 27/10/67)"] We'll find out what happened when David Crosby brought Joni Mitchell back to California in a future story... With Crosby gone, the group had a major problem. They were known for two things -- their jangly twelve-string guitar and their soaring harmonies. They still had the twelve-string, even in their new slimmed-down trio format, but they only had two of their four vocalists -- and while McGuinn had sung lead on most of their hits, the sound of the Byrds' harmony had been defined by Crosby on the high harmonies and Gene Clark's baritone. There was an obvious solution available, of course, and they took it. Gene Clark had quit the Byrds in large part because of his conflicts with David Crosby, and had remained friendly with the others. Clark's solo album had featured Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke, and had been produced by Gary Usher who was now producing the Byrds' records, and it had been a flop and he was at a loose end. After recording the Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers album, Clark had started work with Curt Boettcher, a singer-songwriter-producer who had produced hits for Tommy Roe and the Association, and who was currently working with Gary Usher. Boettcher produced two tracks for Clark, but they went unreleased: [Excerpt: Gene Clark, "Only Colombe"] That had been intended as the start of sessions for an album, but Clark had been dropped by Columbia rather than getting to record a second album. He had put together a touring band with guitarist Clarence White, bass player John York, and session drummer "Fast" Eddie Hoh, but hadn't played many gigs, and while he'd been demoing songs for a possible second solo album he didn't have a record deal to use them on. Chisa Records, a label co-owned by Larry Spector, Peter Fonda, and Hugh Masekela, had put out some promo copies of one track, "Yesterday, Am I Right", but hadn't released it properly: [Excerpt: Gene Clark, "Yesterday, Am I Right"] Clark, like the Byrds, had left Dickson and Tickner's management organisation and signed with Larry Spector, and Spector was wanting to make the most of his artists -- and things were very different for the Byrds now. Clark had had three main problems with being in the Byrds -- ego clashes with David Crosby, the stresses of being a pop star with a screaming teenage fanbase, and his fear of flying. Clark had really wanted to have the same kind of role in the Byrds that Brian Wilson had with the Beach Boys -- appear on the records, write songs, do TV appearances, maybe play local club gigs, but not go on tour playing to screaming fans. But now David Crosby was out of the group and there were no screaming fans any more -- the Byrds weren't having the kind of pop hits they'd had a few years earlier and were now playing to the hippie audience. Clark promised that with everything else being different, he could cope with the idea of flying -- if necessary he'd just take tranquilisers or get so drunk he passed out. So Gene Clark rejoined the Byrds. According to some sources he sang on their next single, "Goin' Back," though I don't hear his voice in the mix: [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Goin' Back"] According to McGuinn, Clark was also an uncredited co-writer on one song on the album they were recording, "Get to You". But before sessions had gone very far, the group went on tour. They appeared on the Smothers Brothers TV show, miming their new single and "Mr. Spaceman", and Clark seemed in good spirits, but on the tour of the Midwest that followed, according to their road manager of the time, Clark was terrified, singing flat and playing badly, and his guitar and vocal mic were left out of the mix. And then it came time to get on a plane, and Clark's old fears came back, and he refused to fly from Minneapolis to New York with the rest of the group, instead getting a train back to LA. And that was the end of Clark's second stint in the Byrds. For the moment, the Byrds decided they were going to continue as a trio on stage and a duo in the studio -- though Michael Clarke did make an occasional return to the sessions as they progressed. But of course, McGuinn and Hillman couldn't record an album entirely by themselves. They did have several tracks in a semi-completed state still featuring Crosby, but they needed people to fill his vocal and instrumental roles on the remaining tracks. For the vocals, Usher brought in his friend and collaborator Curt Boettcher, with whom he was also working at the time in a band called Sagittarius: [Excerpt: Sagittarius, "Another Time"] Boettcher was a skilled harmony vocalist -- according to Usher, he was one of the few vocal arrangers that Brian Wilson looked up to, and Jerry Yester had said of the Modern Folk Quartet that “the only vocals that competed with us back then was Curt Boettcher's group” -- and he was more than capable of filling Crosby's vocal gap, but there was never any real camaraderie between him and the Byrds. He particularly disliked McGuinn, who he said "was just such a poker face. He never let you know where you stood. There was never any lightness," and he said of the sessions as a whole "I was really thrilled to be working with The Byrds, and, at the same time, I was glad when it was all over. There was just no fun, and they were such weird guys to work with. They really freaked me out!" Someone else who Usher brought in, who seems to have made a better impression, was Red Rhodes: [Excerpt: Red Rhodes, "Red's Ride"] Rhodes was a pedal steel player, and one of the few people to make a career on the instrument outside pure country music, which is the genre with which the instrument is usually identified. Rhodes was a country player, but he was the country pedal steel player of choice for musicians from the pop and folk-rock worlds. He worked with Usher and Boettcher on albums by Sagittarius and the Millennium, and played on records by Cass Elliot, Carole King, the Beach Boys, and the Carpenters, among many others -- though he would be best known for his longstanding association with Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, playing on most of Nesmith's recordings from 1968 through 1992. Someone else who was associated with the Monkees was Moog player Paul Beaver, who we talked about in the episode on "Hey Jude", and who had recently played on the Monkees' Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd album: [Excerpt: The Monkees, "Star Collector"] And the fourth person brought in to help the group out was someone who was already familiar to them. Clarence White was, like Red Rhodes, from the country world -- he'd started out in a bluegrass group called the Kentucky Colonels: [Excerpt: The Kentucky Colonels, "Clinch Mountain Backstep"] But White had gone electric and formed one of the first country-rock bands, a group named Nashville West, as well as becoming a popular session player. He had already played on a couple of tracks on Younger Than Yesterday, as well as playing with Hillman and Michael Clarke on Gene Clark's album with the Gosdin Brothers and being part of Clark's touring band with John York and "Fast" Eddie Hoh. The album that the group put together with these session players was a triumph of sequencing and production. Usher had recently been keen on the idea of crossfading tracks into each other, as the Beatles had on Sgt Pepper, and had done the same on the two Chad and Jeremy albums he produced. By clever crossfading and mixing, Usher managed to create something that had the feel of being a continuous piece, despite being the product of several very different creative minds, with Usher's pop sensibility and arrangement ideas being the glue that held everything together. McGuinn was interested in sonic experimentation. He, more than any of the others, seems to have been the one who was most pushing for them to use the Moog, and he continued his interest in science fiction, with a song, "Space Odyssey", inspired by the Arthur C. Clarke short story "The Sentinel", which was also the inspiration for the then-forthcoming film 2001: A Space Odyssey: [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Space Odyssey"] Then there was Chris Hillman, who was coming up with country material like "Old John Robertson": [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Old John Robertson"] And finally there was David Crosby. Even though he'd been fired from the group, both McGuinn and Hillman didn't see any problem with using the songs he had already contributed. Three of the album's eleven songs are compositions that are primarily by Crosby, though they're all co-credited to either Hillman or both Hillman and McGuinn. Two of those songs are largely unchanged from Crosby's original vision, just finished off by the rest of the group after his departure, but one song is rather different: [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Draft Morning"] "Draft Morning" was a song that was important to Crosby, and was about his -- and the group's -- feelings about the draft and the ongoing Vietnam War. It was a song that had meant a lot to him, and he'd been part of the recording for the backing track. But when it came to doing the final vocals, McGuinn and Hillman had a problem -- they couldn't remember all the words to the song, and obviously there was no way they were going to get Crosby to give them the original lyrics. So they rewrote it, coming up with new lyrics where they couldn't remember the originals: [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Draft Morning"] But there was one other contribution to the track that was very distinctively the work of Usher. Gary Usher had a predilection at this point for putting musique concrete sections in otherwise straightforward pop songs. He'd done it with "Fakin' It" by Simon and Garfunkel, on which he did uncredited production work, and did it so often that it became something of a signature of records on Columbia in 1967 and 68, even being copied by his friend Jim Guercio on "Susan" by the Buckinghams. Usher had done this, in particular, on the first two singles by Sagittarius, his project with Curt Boettcher. In particular, the second Sagittarius single, "Hotel Indiscreet", had had a very jarring section (and a warning here, this contains some brief chanting of a Nazi slogan): [Excerpt: Sagittarius, "Hotel Indiscreet"] That was the work of a comedy group that Usher had discovered and signed to Columbia. The Firesign Theatre were so named because, like Usher, they were all interested in astrology, and they were all "fire signs".  Usher was working on their first album, Waiting For The Electrician or Someone Like Him, at the same time as he was working on the Byrds album: [Excerpt: The Firesign Theatre, "W.C. Fields Forever"] And he decided to bring in the Firesigns to contribute to "Draft Morning": [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Draft Morning"] Crosby was, understandably, apoplectic when he heard the released version of "Draft Morning". As far as Hillman and McGuinn were concerned, it was always a Byrds song, and just because Crosby had left the band didn't mean they couldn't use material he'd written for the Byrds. Crosby took a different view, saying later "It was one of the sleaziest things they ever did. I had an entire song finished. They just casually rewrote it and decided to take half the credit. How's that? Without even asking me. I had a finished song, entirely mine. I left. They did the song anyway. They rewrote it and put it in their names. And mine was better. They just took it because they didn't have enough songs." What didn't help was that the publicity around the album, titled The Notorious Byrd Brothers minimised Crosby's contributions. Crosby is on five of the eleven tracks -- as he said later, "I'm all over that album, they just didn't give me credit. I played, I sang, I wrote, I even played bass on one track, and they tried to make out that I wasn't even on it, that they could be that good without me." But the album, like earlier Byrds albums, didn't have credits saying who played what, and the cover only featured McGuinn, Hillman, and Michael Clarke in the photo -- along with a horse, which Crosby took as another insult, as representing him. Though as McGuinn said, "If we had intended to do that, we would have turned the horse around". Even though Michael Clarke was featured on the cover, and even owned the horse that took Crosby's place, by the time the album came out he too had been fired. Unlike Crosby, he went quietly and didn't even ask for any money. According to McGuinn, he was increasingly uninterested in being in the band -- suffering from depression, and missing the teenage girls who had been the group's fans a year or two earlier. He gladly stopped being a Byrd, and went off to work in a hotel instead. In his place came Hillman's cousin, Kevin Kelley, fresh out of a band called the Rising Sons: [Excerpt: The Rising Sons, "Take a Giant Step"] We've mentioned the Rising Sons briefly in some previous episodes, but they were one of the earliest LA folk-rock bands, and had been tipped to go on to greater things -- and indeed, many of them did, though not as part of the Rising Sons. Jesse Lee Kincaid, the least well-known of the band, only went on to release a couple of singles and never had much success, but his songs were picked up by other acts -- his "Baby You Come Rollin' 'Cross My Mind" was a minor hit for the Peppermint Trolley Company: [Excerpt: The Peppermint Trolley Company, "Baby You Come Rollin' 'Cross My Mind"] And Harry Nilsson recorded Kincaid's "She Sang Hymns Out of Tune": [Excerpt: Harry Nilsson, "She Sang Hymns Out of Tune"] But Kincaid was the least successful of the band members, and most of the other members are going to come up in future episodes of the podcast -- bass player Gary Marker played for a while with Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, lead singer Taj Mahal is one of the most respected blues singers of the last sixty years, original drummer Ed Cassidy went on to form the progressive rock band Spirit, and lead guitarist Ry Cooder went on to become one of the most important guitarists in rock music. Kelley had been the last to join the Rising Sons, replacing Cassidy but he was in the band by the time they released their one single, a version of Rev. Gary Davis' "Candy Man" produced by Terry Melcher, with Kincaid on lead vocals: [Excerpt: The Rising Sons, "Candy Man"] That hadn't been a success, and the group's attempt at a follow-up, the Goffin and King song "Take a Giant Step", which we heard earlier, was blocked from release by Columbia as being too druggy -- though there were no complaints when the Monkees released their version as the B-side to "Last Train to Clarksville". The Rising Sons, despite being hugely popular as a live act, fell apart without ever releasing a second single. According to Marker, Mahal realised that he would be better off as a solo artist, but also Columbia didn't know how to market a white group with a Black lead vocalist (leading to Kincaid singing lead on their one released single, and producer Terry Melcher trying to get Mahal to sing more like a white singer on "Take a Giant Step"), and some in the band thought that Terry Melcher was deliberately trying to sink their career because they refused to sign to his publishing company. After the band split up, Marker and Kelley had formed a band called Fusion, which Byrds biographer Johnny Rogan describes as being a jazz-fusion band, presumably because of their name. Listening to the one album the group recorded, it is in fact more blues-rock, very like the music Marker made with the Rising Sons and Captain Beefheart. But Kelley's not on that album, because before it was recorded he was approached by his cousin Chris Hillman and asked to join the Byrds. At the time, Fusion were doing so badly that Kelley had to work a day job in a clothes shop, so he was eager to join a band with a string of hits who were just about to conclude a lucrative renegotiation of their record contract -- a renegotiation which may have played a part in McGuinn and Hillman firing Crosby and Clarke, as they were now the only members on the new contracts. The choice of Kelley made a lot of sense. He was mostly just chosen because he was someone they knew and they needed a drummer in a hurry -- they needed someone new to promote The Notorious Byrd Brothers and didn't have time to go through a laborious process of audtioning, and so just choosing Hillman's cousin made sense, but Kelley also had a very strong, high voice, and so he could fill in the harmony parts that Crosby had sung, stopping the new power-trio version of the band from being *too* thin-sounding in comparison to the five-man band they'd been not that much earlier. The Notorious Byrd Brothers was not a commercial success -- it didn't even make the top forty in the US, though it did in the UK -- to the presumed chagrin of Columbia, who'd just paid a substantial amount of money for this band who were getting less successful by the day. But it was, though, a gigantic critical success, and is generally regarded as the group's creative pinnacle. Robert Christgau, for example, talked about how LA rather than San Francisco was where the truly interesting music was coming from, and gave guarded praise to Captain Beefheart, Van Dyke Parks, and the Fifth Dimension (the vocal group, not the Byrds album) but talked about three albums as being truly great -- the Beach Boys' Wild Honey, Love's Forever Changes, and The Notorious Byrd Brothers. (He also, incidentally, talked about how the two songs that Crosby's new discovery Joni Mitchell had contributed to a Judy Collins album were much better than most folk music, and how he could hardly wait for her first album to come out). And that, more or less, was the critical consensus about The Notorious Byrd Brothers -- that it was, in Christgau's words "simply the best album the Byrds have ever recorded" and that "Gone are the weak--usually folky--tracks that have always flawed their work." McGuinn, though, thought that the album wasn't yet what he wanted. He had become particularly excited by the potentials of the Moog synthesiser -- an instrument that Gary Usher also loved -- during the recording of the album, and had spent a lot of time experimenting with it, coming up with tracks like the then-unreleased "Moog Raga": [Excerpt: The Byrds, "Moog Raga"] And McGuinn had a concept for the next Byrds album -- a concept he was very excited about. It was going to be nothing less than a grand sweeping history of American popular music. It was going to be a double album -- the new contract said that they should deliver two albums a year to Columbia, so a double album made sense -- and it would start with Appalachian folk music, go through country, jazz, and R&B, through the folk-rock music the Byrds had previously been known for, and into Moog experimentation. But to do this, the Byrds needed a keyboard player. Not only would a keyboard player help them fill out their thin onstage sound, if they got a jazz keyboardist, then they could cover the jazz material in McGuinn's concept album idea as well. So they went out and looked for a jazz piano player, and happily Larry Spector was managing one. Or at least, Larry Spector was managing someone who *said* he was a jazz pianist. But Gram Parsons said he was a lot of things... [Excerpt: Gram Parsons, "Brass Buttons (1965 version)"] Gram Parsons was someone who had come from a background of unimaginable privilege. His maternal grandfather was the owner of a Florida citrus fruit and real-estate empire so big that his mansion was right in the centre of what was then Florida's biggest theme park -- built on land he owned. As a teenager, Parsons had had a whole wing of his parents' house to himself, and had had servants to look after his every need, and as an adult he had a trust fund that paid him a hundred thousand dollars a year -- which in 1968 dollars would be equivalent to a little under nine hundred thousand in today's money. Two events in his childhood had profoundly shaped the life of young Gram. The first was in February 1956, when he went to see a new singer who he'd heard on the radio, and who according to the local newspaper had just recorded a new song called "Heartburn Motel".  Parsons had tried to persuade his friends that this new singer was about to become a big star -- one of his friends had said "I'll wait til he becomes famous!" As it turned out, the day Parsons and the couple of friends he did manage to persuade to go with him saw Elvis Presley was also the day that "Heartbreak Hotel" entered the Billboard charts at number sixty-eight. But even at this point, Elvis was an obvious star and the headliner of the show. Young Gram was enthralled -- but in retrospect he was more impressed by the other acts he saw on the bill. That was an all-star line-up of country musicians, including Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters, and especially the Louvin Brothers, arguably the greatest country music vocal duo of all time: [Excerpt: The Louvin Brothers, "The Christian Life"] Young Gram remained mostly a fan of rockabilly music rather than country, and would remain so for another decade or so, but a seed had been planted. The other event, much more tragic, was the death of his father. Both Parsons' parents were functioning alcoholics, and both by all accounts were unfaithful to each other, and their marriage was starting to break down. Gram's father was also, by many accounts, dealing with what we would now call post-traumatic stress disorder from his time serving in the second world war. On December the twenty-third 1958, Gram's father died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Everyone involved seems sure it was suicide, but it was officially recorded as natural causes because of the family's wealth and prominence in the local community. Gram's Christmas present from his parents that year was a reel-to-reel tape recorder, and according to some stories I've read his father had left a last message on a tape in the recorder, but by the time the authorities got to hear it, it had been erased apart from the phrase "I love you, Gram." After that Gram's mother's drinking got even worse, but in most ways his life still seemed charmed, and the descriptions of him as a teenager are about what you'd expect from someone who was troubled, with a predisposition to addiction, but who was also unbelievably wealthy, good-looking, charming, and talented. And the talent was definitely there. One thing everyone is agreed on is that from a very young age Gram Parsons took his music seriously and was determined to make a career as a musician. Keith Richards later said of him "Of the musicians I know personally (although Otis Redding, who I didn't know, fits this too), the two who had an attitude towards music that was the same as mine were Gram Parsons and John Lennon. And that was: whatever bag the business wants to put you in is immaterial; that's just a selling point, a tool that makes it easier. You're going to get chowed into this pocket or that pocket because it makes it easier for them to make charts up and figure out who's selling. But Gram and John were really pure musicians. All they liked was music, and then they got thrown into the game." That's not the impression many other people have of Parsons, who is almost uniformly described as an incessant self-promoter, and who from his teens onwards would regularly plant fake stories about himself in the local press, usually some variant of him having been signed to RCA records. Most people seem to think that image was more important to him than anything. In his teens, he started playing in a series of garage bands around Florida and Georgia, the two states in which he was brought up. One of his early bands was largely created by poaching the rhythm section who were then playing with Kent Lavoie, who later became famous as Lobo and had hits like "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo". Lavoie apparently held a grudge -- decades later he would still say that Parsons couldn't sing or play or write. Another musician on the scene with whom Parsons associated was Bobby Braddock, who would later go on to co-write songs like "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" for Tammy Wynette, and the song "He Stopped Loving Her Today", often considered the greatest country song ever written, for George Jones: [Excerpt: George Jones, "He Stopped Loving Her Today"] Jones would soon become one of Parsons' musical idols, but at this time he was still more interested in being Elvis or Little Richard. We're lucky enough to have a 1962 live recording of one of his garage bands, the Legends -- the band that featured the bass player and drummer he'd poached from Lobo. They made an appearance on a local TV show and a friend with a tape recorder recorded it off the TV and decades later posted it online. Of the four songs in that performance, two are R&B covers -- Little Richard's "Rip It Up" and Ray Charles' "What'd I Say?", and a third is the old Western Swing classic "Guitar Boogie Shuffle". But the interesting thing about the version of "Rip it Up" is that it's sung in an Everly Brothers style harmony, and the fourth song is a recording of the Everlys' "Let It Be Me". The Everlys were, of course, hugely influenced by the Louvin Brothers, who had so impressed young Gram six years earlier, and in this performance you can hear for the first time the hints of the style that Parsons would make his own a few years later: [Excerpt: Gram Parsons and the Legends, "Let it Be Me"] Incidentally, the other guitarist in the Legends, Jim Stafford, also went on to a successful musical career, having a top five hit in the seventies with "Spiders & Snakes": [Excerpt: Jim Stafford, "Spiders & Snakes"] Soon after that TV performance though, like many musicians of his generation, Parsons decided to give up on rock and roll, and instead to join a folk group. The group he joined, The Shilos, were a trio who were particularly influenced by the Journeymen, John Phillips' folk group before he formed the Mamas and the Papas, which we talked about in the episode on "San Francisco". At various times the group expanded with the addition of some female singers, trying to capture something of the sound of the New Chrisy Minstrels. In 1964, with the band members still in school, the Shilos decided to make a trip to Greenwich Village and see if they could make the big time as folk-music stars. They met up with John Phillips, and Parsons stayed with John and Michelle Phillips in their home in New York -- this was around the time the two of them were writing "California Dreamin'". Phillips got the Shilos an audition with Albert Grossman, who seemed eager to sign them until he realised they were still schoolchildren just on a break. The group were, though, impressive enough that he was interested, and we have some recordings of them from a year later which show that they were surprisingly good for a bunch of teenagers: [Excerpt: The Shilos, "The Bells of Rhymney"] Other than Phillips, the other major connection that Parsons made in New York was the folk singer Fred Neil, who we've talked about occasionally before. Neil was one of the great songwriters of the Greenwich Village scene, and many of his songs became successful for others -- his "Dolphins" was recorded by Tim Buckley, most famously his "Everybody's Talkin'" was a hit for Harry Nilsson, and he wrote "Another Side of This Life" which became something of a standard -- it was recorded by the Animals and the Lovin' Spoonful, and Jefferson Airplane, as well as recording the song, included it in their regular setlists, including at Monterey: [Excerpt: Jefferson Airplane, "The Other Side of This Life (live at Monterey)"] According to at least one biographer, though, Neil had another, more pernicious, influence on Parsons -- he may well have been the one who introduced Parsons to heroin, though several of Parsons' friends from the time said he wasn't yet using hard drugs. By spring 1965, Parsons was starting to rethink his commitment to folk music, particularly after "Mr. Tambourine Man" became a hit. He talked with the other members about their need to embrace the changes in music that Dylan and the Byrds were bringing about, but at the same time he was still interested enough in acoustic music that when he was given the job of arranging the music for his high school graduation, the group he booked were the Dillards. That graduation day was another day that would change Parsons' life -- as it was the day his mother died, of alcohol-induced liver failure. Parsons was meant to go on to Harvard, but first he went back to Greenwich Village for the summer, where he hung out with Fred Neil and Dave Van Ronk (and started using heroin regularly). He went to see the Beatles at Shea Stadium, and he was neighbours with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay -- the three of them talked about forming a band together before Stills moved West. And on a brief trip back home to Florida between Greenwich Village and Harvard, Parsons spoke with his old friend Jim Stafford, who made a suggestion to him -- instead of trying to do folk music, which was clearly falling out of fashion, why not try to do *country* music but with long hair like the Beatles? He could be a country Beatle. It would be an interesting gimmick. Parsons was only at Harvard for one semester before flunking out, but it was there that he was fully reintroduced to country music, and in particular to three artists who would influence him more than any others. He'd already been vaguely aware of Buck Owens, whose "Act Naturally" had recently been covered by the Beatles: [Excerpt: Buck Owens, "Act Naturally"] But it was at Harvard that he gained a deeper appreciation of Owens. Owens was the biggest star of what had become known as the Bakersfield Sound, a style of country music that emphasised a stripped-down electric band lineup with Telecaster guitars, a heavy drumbeat, and a clean sound. It came from the same honky-tonk and Western Swing roots as the rockabilly music that Parsons had grown up on, and it appealed to him instinctively.  In particular, Parsons was fascinated by the fact that Owens' latest album had a cover version of a Drifters song on it -- and then he got even more interested when Ray Charles put out his third album of country songs and included a version of Owens' "Together Again": [Excerpt: Ray Charles, "Together Again"] This suggested to Parsons that country music and the R&B he'd been playing previously might not quite be so far apart as he'd thought. At Harvard, Parsons was also introduced to the work of another Bakersfield musician, who like Owens was produced by Ken Nelson, who also produced the Louvin Brothers' records, and who we heard about in previous episodes as he produced Gene Vincent and Wanda Jackson. Merle Haggard had only had one big hit at the time, "(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers": [Excerpt: Merle Haggard, "(My Friends are Gonna Be) Strangers"] But he was about to start a huge run of country hits that would see every single he released for the next twelve years make the country top ten, most of them making number one. Haggard would be one of the biggest stars in country music, but he was also to be arguably the country musician with the biggest influence on rock music since Johnny Cash, and his songs would soon start to be covered by everyone from the Grateful Dead to the Everly Brothers to the Beach Boys. And the third artist that Parsons was introduced to was someone who, in most popular narratives of country music, is set up in opposition to Haggard and Owens, because they were representatives of the Bakersfield Sound while he was the epitome of the Nashville Sound to which the Bakersfield Sound is placed in opposition, George Jones. But of course anyone with ears will notice huge similarities in the vocal styles of Jones, Haggard, and Owens: [Excerpt: George Jones, "The Race is On"] Owens, Haggard, and Jones are all somewhat outside the scope of this series, but are seriously important musicians in country music. I would urge anyone who's interested in them to check out Tyler Mahan Coe's podcast Cocaine and Rhinestones, season one of which has episodes on Haggard and Owens, as well as on the Louvin Brothers who I also mentioned earlier, and season two of which is entirely devoted to Jones. When he dropped out of Harvard after one semester, Parsons was still mostly under the thrall of the Greenwich Village folkies -- there's a recording of him made over Christmas 1965 that includes his version of "Another Side of This Life": [Excerpt: Gram Parsons, "Another Side of This Life"] But he was encouraged to go further in the country direction by John Nuese (and I hope that's the correct pronunciation – I haven't been able to find any recordings mentioning his name), who had introduced him to this music and who also played guitar. Parsons, Neuse, bass player Ian Dunlop and drummer Mickey Gauvin formed a band that was originally called Gram Parsons and the Like. They soon changed their name though, inspired by an Our Gang short in which the gang became a band: [Excerpt: Our Gang, "Mike Fright"] Shortening the name slightly, they became the International Submarine Band. Parsons rented them a house in New York, and they got a contract with Goldstar Records, and released a couple of singles. The first of them, "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming" was a cover of the theme to a comedy film that came out around that time, and is not especially interesting: [Excerpt: The International Submarine Band, "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming"] The second single is more interesting. "Sum Up Broke" is a song by Parsons and Neuse, and shows a lot of influence from the Byrds: [Excerpt: The international Submarine Band, "Sum Up Broke"] While in New York with the International Submarine Band, Parsons made another friend in the music business. Barry Tashian was the lead singer of a band called the Remains, who had put out a couple of singles: [Excerpt: The Remains, "Why Do I Cry?"] The Remains are now best known for having been on the bill on the Beatles' last ever tour, including playing as support on their last ever show at Candlestick Park, but they split up before their first album came out. After spending most of 1966 in New York, Parsons decided that he needed to move the International Submarine Band out to LA. There were two reasons for this. The first was his friend Brandon DeWilde, an actor who had been a child star in the fifties -- it's him at the end of Shane -- who was thinking of pursuing a musical career. DeWilde was still making TV appearances, but he was also a singer -- John Nuese said that DeWilde sang harmony with Parsons better than anyone except Emmylou Harris -- and he had recorded some demos with the International Submarine Band backing him, like this version of Buck Owens' "Together Again": [Excerpt: Brandon DeWilde, "Together Again"] DeWilde had told Parsons he could get the group some work in films. DeWilde made good on that promise to an extent -- he got the group a cameo in The Trip, a film we've talked about in several other episodes, which was being directed by Roger Corman, the director who worked a lot with David Crosby's father, and was coming out from American International Pictures, the company that put out the beach party films -- but while the group were filmed performing one of their own songs, in the final film their music was overdubbed by the Electric Flag. The Trip starred Peter Fonda, another member of the circle of people around David Crosby, and another son of privilege, who at this point was better known for being Henry Fonda's son than for his own film appearances. Like DeWilde, Fonda wanted to become a pop star, and he had been impressed by Parsons, and asked if he could record Parsons' song "November Nights". Parsons agreed, and the result was released on Chisa Records, the label we talked about earlier that had put out promos of Gene Clark, in a performance produced by Hugh Masekela: [Excerpt: Peter Fonda, "November Nights"] The other reason the group moved West though was that Parsons had fallen in love with David Crosby's girlfriend, Nancy Ross, who soon became pregnant with his daughter -- much to Parsons' disappointment, she refused to have an abortion. Parsons bought the International Submarine Band a house in LA to rehearse in, and moved in separately with Nancy. The group started playing all the hottest clubs around LA, supporting bands like Love and the Peanut Butter Conspiracy, but they weren't sounding great, partly because Parsons was more interested in hanging round with celebrities than rehearsing -- the rest of the band had to work for a living, and so took their live performances more seriously than he did, while he was spending time catching up with his old folk friends like John Phillips and Fred Neil, as well as getting deeper into drugs and, like seemingly every musician in 1967, Scientology, though he only dabbled in the latter. The group were also, though, starting to split along musical lines. Dunlop and Gauvin wanted to play R&B and garage rock, while Parsons and Nuese wanted to play country music. And there was a third issue -- which record label should they go with? There were two labels interested in them, neither of them particularly appealing. The offer that Dunlop in particular wanted to go with was from, of all people, Jay Ward Records: [Excerpt: A Salute to Moosylvania] Jay Ward was the producer and writer of Rocky & Bullwinkle, Peabody & Sherman, Dudley Do-Right and other cartoons, and had set up a record company, which as far as I've been able to tell had only released one record, and that five years earlier (we just heard a snippet of it). But in the mid-sixties several cartoon companies were getting into the record business -- we'll hear more about that when we get to song 186 -- and Ward's company apparently wanted to sign the International Submarine Band, and were basically offering to throw money at them. Parsons, on the other hand, wanted to go with Lee Hazlewood International. This was a new label set up by someone we've only talked about in passing, but who was very influential on the LA music scene, Lee Hazlewood. Hazlewood had got his start producing country hits like Sanford Clark's "The Fool": [Excerpt: Sanford Clark, "The Fool"] He'd then moved on to collaborating with Lester Sill, producing a series of hits for Duane Eddy, whose unique guitar sound Hazlewood helped come up with: [Excerpt: Duane Eddy, "Rebel Rouser"] After splitting off from Sill, who had gone off to work with Phil Spector, who had been learning some production techniques from Hazlewood, Hazlewood had gone to work for Reprise records, where he had a career in a rather odd niche, producing hit records for the children of Rat Pack stars. He'd produced Dino, Desi, and Billy, who consisted of future Beach Boys sideman Billy Hinsche plus Desi Arnaz Jr and Dean Martin Jr: [Excerpt: Dino, Desi, and Billy, "I'm a Fool"] He'd also produced Dean Martin's daughter Deana: [Excerpt: Deana Martin, "Baby I See You"] and rather more successfully he'd written and produced a series of hits for Nancy Sinatra, starting with "These Boots are Made for Walkin'": [Excerpt: Nancy Sinatra, "These Boots are Made for Walkin'"] Hazlewood had also moved into singing himself. He'd released a few tracks on his own, but his career as a performer hadn't really kicked into gear until he'd started writing duets for Nancy Sinatra. She apparently fell in love with his demos and insisted on having him sing them with her in the studio, and so the two made a series of collaborations like the magnificently bizarre "Some Velvet Morning": [Excerpt: Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra, "Some Velvet Morning"] Hazlewood is now considered something of a cult artist, thanks largely to a string of magnificent orchestral country-pop solo albums he recorded, but at this point he was one of the hottest people in the music industry. He wasn't offering to produce the International Submarine Band himself -- that was going to be his partner, Suzi Jane Hokom -- but Parsons thought it was better to sign for less money to a label that was run by someone with a decade-long string of massive hit records than for more money to a label that had put out one record about a cartoon moose. So the group split up. Dunlop and Gauvin went off to form another band, with Barry Tashian -- and legend has it that one of the first times Gram Parsons visited the Byrds in the studio, he mentioned the name of that band, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and that was the inspiration for the Byrds titling their album The Notorious Byrd Brothers. Parsons and Nuese, on the other hand, formed a new lineup of The International Submarine Band, with bass player Chris Ethridge, drummer John Corneal, who Parsons had first played with in The Legends, and guitarist Bob Buchanan, a former member of the New Christy Minstrels who Parsons had been performing with as a duo after they'd met through Fred Neil. The International Submarine Band recorded an album, Safe At Home, which is now often called the first country-rock album -- though as we've said so often, there's no first anything. That album was a mixture of cover versions of songs by people like Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard: [Excerpt: The International Submarine Band, "I Must Be Somebody Else You've Known"] And Parsons originals, like "Do You Know How It Feels To Be Lonesome?", which he cowrote with Barry Goldberg of the Electric Flag: [Excerpt: The International Submarine Band, "Do You Know How It Feels To Be Lonesome?"] But the recording didn't go smoothly. In particular, Corneal realised he'd been hoodwinked. Parsons had told him, when persuading him to move West, that he'd be able to sing on the record and that some of his songs would be used. But while the record was credited to The International Submarine Band, everyone involved agrees that it was actually a Gram Parsons solo album by any other name -- he was in charge, he wouldn't let other members' songs on the record, and he didn't let Corneal sing as he'd promised. And then, before the album could be released, he was off. The Byrds wanted a jazz keyboard player, and Parsons could fake being one long enough to get the gig. The Byrds had got rid of one rich kid with a giant ego who wanted to take control of everything and thought his undeniable talent excused his attempts at dominating the group, and replaced him with another one -- who also happened to be signed to another record label. We'll see how well that worked out for them in two weeks' time.  

This is just a brief announcement. The fact that I've released stuff so inconsistently over the last year, along with the last episode being so long that it actually caused problems for Tilt's editing softwaere has caused me to reconsider how I'm breaking these episodes up. I have had very good reasons for making the episodes longer rather than doing multiple parts -- we would have had episodes titled "White Light/White Heat", "Eight Miles High", and "Good Vibrations" which literally didn't mention at all the bands they were ostensibly about, and people would have got very annoyed at listening to an episode supposedly about the Beach Boys and finding it was entirely about a Soviet inventor in the 1920s. But the balance has tipped the other way now. Things have got a bit ridiculous. So what I'm doing npw is I'm still writing the scripts the same way I always do, as one long narrative, but then once a script is finished I will break it into sections of about 5-10,000 words (somewhere in the 45-minute to ninety minute range) depending on where natural cliffhangers come, and I will release those parts fortnightly. There still might be gaps between the last part of the previous song and the first part of the next, but probably nothing like as long as they have been. The actual content will still be the same -- just for example the Velvet Underground episode would have been split into three or four parts, with the first part ending with John Cale joining the story, and me saying "join us in two weeks time".  But it'll be broken up into more manageable parts which hopefully won't cause Tilt's editing software to explode, and if you like listening to it all in one go you can just wait until the final part of that story and then listen to it all. So today you're going to get, not 'Episode 172, "Hickory Wind" by the Byrds', but 'SONG 172: "Hickory Wind" by the Byrds: Part 1, Ushering in a New Dimension", and then Song 172 part two two weeks later. I want to emphasise that this will still be *exactly the same content* as it would otherwise be. The stories will go on as long as they need to. Some will be a single episode, some will be three or four. But breaking it up like this should mean you get more consistent releases and I can get ahead. Indeed, it *might* mean I could go back to weekly episodes -- I've averaged somewhere in the region of thirty thousand words per month last year on the main podcast, which would be four seven-thousand-word episodes -- but I won't even think about that unless I start to actually build up a backlog. The stories should be getting shorter anyway as we finally move out of the late sixties, so the rate of storytelling *should* get faster, but this way at least you're going to get regular episodes. So listen to today's episode, and then join me again in precisely two weeks as Gram Parsons joins the story.