The Eagles and the Byrds

[Scarlet Sun]

Do Glenn or Don ever mention the latter-day Byrds as influences? When the Eagles were forming, the Byrds were a four-piece country-rock band with four lead singers.

[Freypower]

Why do you say the 'latter day Byrds'? I would have thought they influenced the Eagles from the start of their career, but the Eagles usually cite the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco as their man influences.

Don Henley has sung So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star in concert with Stevie Nicks.

[TimothyBFan]

Don Henley has sung So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star in concert with Stevie Nicks.

Ooooh! Really? I would love to hear that!!!

[GettheLeadonOut!!]

I think Don and Glenn probably viewed the latter day Byrds as inferior to the original classic lineup and so I don't think they were necessarily trying to emulate them as the Byrds were sort of limping along commercially in the early 70's with releases like Byrdmaniax and Farther Along. If anything, Glenn and Don were looking to avoid the traps that bands like the Byrds had fallen into.

That's not to say they didn't appreciate them as musicians as they were an amazing live act. If anything they were peers of the band, most notably Bernie who of course sang the infamous impromptu "Farther Along" eulogy with Gram Parsons at Clarence White's funeral in 1973.

http://www.burritobrother.com/leadonwhite.jpg

[sodascouts]

Glenn liked the Byrds, but it appears he was more interested in Poco. This is from the Very Best of the Eagles booklet:

"We loved all the singing bands -- The Byrds and The Beach Boys -- but to be honest, right then I had my eye on Poco... and I wanted to go beyond them too."

And Bob Seger had this to say in a 1976 issue of Rolling Stone:

"Frey sings in the chorus of 'Ramblin' Gamblin' Man' and I produced his first record. The group was called the Mushrooms. I was always kinda the heavy guy while Frey liked the Byrds and Beau Brummels, all that sweet stuff and harmonies that the Eagles do now. I was always telling him to 'heavy up', but I guess he's done okay." [lol!]

Willie - here's an MP3 of Don and Stevie doing "So You Wanna Be a Rock'n'Roll Star" in Philadelphia, 2005:
http://www.donhenleyonline.com/multimedia/MP3/SYWBARNRSPhiladelphia2005.mp3

[Freypower]

I am much more a Byrds fan than a Poco fan (although that may be because I only have a Greatest Hits by Poco whereas I have all the Byrds albums up until Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, plus a 4 disc box set). I am drawn to them perhaps more because of the obvious Dylan and Beatles influences.

I might do a Top 10:

1. John Riley (I absolutey adore this version of a traditional folk ballad)
2. Turn! Turn! Turn!
3. The Bells Of Rhymney
4. Have You Seen Her Face
5. Deportee (Plane Wreck At Los Gatos)
6. Ballad Of Easy Rider
7. Lover Of The Bayou
8. Mr Tanbourine Man
9. Eight Miles High
10. Wasn't Born To Follow

But that is today - it could change at any time. Some of those songs are cover versions, but the Byrds made them their own. Eight Miles High should be further up the list, perhaps.

We saw Roger McGuinn a few years ago at a small jazz club in Sydney and it was absolutely stunning.

[bernie's bender]

The Byrds were the american beatles. they were really amazing in their day... the songs of dylan, chiming 12 strings, the clear as a bell harmonies and then later the most amazing guitar player (and bernie's idol) Clarence White...

The whole electric folk rock ground zero was the Byrds. Gene Clark is nothing short of a force of nature... the fact that Crosby essentially destroyed him is just awful... but, those voices together really changed a lot of things.... they were THAT important at the time.

The change in direction toward country was as much a reaction as it was innovation. It was already happening and everyone except McGuinn wanted to head that direction. The tie to the Byrds is pretty direct---> Geno and Bernie wrote "Train Leaves Here This Morning"

The bender on Bernie's guitar (a device that bends the B string on your guitar by moving your shoulder) was an Evans and not the Parsons White that Gene Parsons and Clarence White invented, but Dave Evans' bender was influenced by the Parson's/White.

Meisner and Leadon were huge Byrds fans. I suspect the Shiloh guys were too... and while Glenn's leanings may have been toward rock and Poco (Pogo) he and JD were pretty obviously influenced by folk rock and the byrds.... Heck, lots of the first couple of albums have harmony sections that are Byrds style arrangements....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSIYFqeEacQ

Jim McGuinn and Gene Clark...

[GettheLeadonOut!!]

I too am a huge Gene Clark fan. Love his original version of Train Leaves Here This Morning from "The Fantastic Expedition" as well as all of his solo records. I always assumed that the lyric "and I laughed when the joker said lead on" was a reference to Bernie's last name which people often mispronounce.

Boy, Bernie must have been in heaven to be a 20 year old kid playing with his heroes, Doug Dillard and Gene Clark, let alone recording with them.

[TimothyBFan]

Thank you Soda. I should of known you'd have it somewhere. I've got to start checking the site myself before I bother you with it.

[DonFan]

Don Henley has sung So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star in concert with Stevie Nicks.
It was greeeeeeeeat!!

[rocky_mtn_way]

Another crucial influence, at least on Don, that links back through to the Byrds, is the Dillards. Don was encouraged by Rodney Dillard to get out to California and try his hand. The Dillards then have ties to The Byrds, The Burrito Bros., etc. As has been mentioned, Bernie studied banjo with Doug Dillard, we all know his role in Dillard & Clark. I'll have to find the reference to Don & R. Dillard and post it. I read it recently, but can't remember exactly where right now.:hmm:

[rocky_mtn_way]

Would that reference be, among one of many, from Hot Burritos: The Story of the Flying Burrito Brothers book? Excellent read.



Actually, no, I found it. It is the same author (John Einarson) The book is Desperadoes: The Roots of Country Rock. It's a source for my thesis, as is the Hot Burritos as soon as it gets in from interlibrary loan. Einarson has written quite a few books on the scene, and does quite a good job IMHO. I imagine the reference is from the same interview since it is the same author.

[Freypower]

This is only my opinion but I found the Desperados book disappointing. On every second page another person was quoted as saying 'that was the start of country rock right there'. I suppose everyone involved thought it was THEIR band that was first.

[GettheLeadonOut!!]

imo, country rock began with the Byrds (Hillman, Clark & Parsons specifically) and ended when Bernie quit the Eagles in 1975.

In celebration of the Byrds, here's McGuinn, Clark & Hillman from 1978 doing "Mr. Tambourine Man". love how they each take a verse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2iICObdwb8

[rocky_mtn_way]

This is only my opinion but I found the Desperados book disappointing. On every second page another person was quoted as saying 'that was the start of country rock right there'. I suppose everyone involved thought it was THEIR band that was first.

I noticed that as well. There seems to be a debate among the various musicians about who started first, but IMO I think that is largely a response to how much credit Gram Parsons has been given in the media, especially since "alt-country" and the tribute album in the 90s. I suppose all of us probably have our own opinions on the matter. If I wanted to I could argue all the way back to Lead Belly or Hank Williams even though rock was not a genre, or I could say Elvis, or Buddy Holly, or the Everly Brothers, of whom I would argue the strongest. I don't think it matters so much though, especially since all of the groups/musicians had different angles they approached the music from. The clearest conclusion for me is that it may have been around for years, and someone may have done it first, but the Eagles brought it to public attention, and found the perfect mix of twang and loud. :drummer: Just my opinion though

[sodascouts]

Interesting what you said about Gram Parsons. Bernie is quoted as saying, "You know, originally they didn’t give Gram enough credit. Now they give him too much." (source: Dave Carew (http://davecarew.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/bernie-leadons-interesting-comment-about-gram-parsons/))

[rocky_mtn_way]

Interesting what you said about Gram Parsons. Bernie is quoted as saying, "You know, originally they didn’t give Gram enough credit. Now they give him too much." (source: Dave Carew (http://davecarew.wordpress.com/2010/02/01/bernie-leadons-interesting-comment-about-gram-parsons/))

Very interesting indeed.

[Scarlet Sun]

The Monkees 1966 debut album - Papa Gene's Blues, Last Train To Clarksville, and Sweet Young Thing.

[Freypower]

Of those songs I only know Last Train To Clarksville & it never occurred to me that it sounded 'country'. I suppose Michael Nesmith's subsequent career bears this out.