Listening to a lot of Ian Tyson lately. He made some really well produced and well written albums and of course write the French Girl which Gene covered. So they were well aware of each other, and one wonders why Gene decided to sing a Rodney Crowell song on Ian's TV show. Not bad, but there's about 200 Gene songs I'd rather hear
I think Gene was just a true musician, a real singer -- in the sense that he liked a good song, and when he heard one, he liked to sing it and didn't care where it came from. For that reason, he's an unusual case of an extremely prolific writer who almost always seemed to find room for a cover or two (or more) on his own albums, even though he was rarely hard up for material -- the usual reason for cover versions on singer-songwriter LPs.
Ian Tyson had a really great and underrated career. Actually so did Sylvia. She made some very nice music with the Quartette later on as well.
Even Dylan has done loads of covers. He almost always includes a Lightfoot song when he plays in canada.
It was while in Edmonton that i went to a taping of Ian’s TV show Sun Country when he had Chris Hillman on it. And as i’m typing this i thought “maybe i should check youtube” and sure enough here it is! Wow! I was there! Haven’t seen it since it was aired!
Kind of that way too, although I did utter a loud sigh when he said some junk the last time I saw Hillman in a small club in Atlanta (probably 13 years ago). Well, I did see the Sweetheart tour, but no political junk at that.
If we get too involved in the appalling things Chris Hillman has said, done, and endorsed over the years we'll get the thread closed, and no-one (I think) wants that. I've been guilty of this myself in the past, I know.
I watched this last night. The host is a bit annoying, cutting in too often. But Chris is likeable here, candid and in a playful mood, no preaching, just reminiscences. It’s long but he’s almost more revealing than in his book. He even laughs and shakes his head recalling another all nighter in the studio with Stills and stuff like that.
I just found this again finally. The first volume was my first Byrds album and what made me a fan. The first edition of Johnny Rogan’s Timeless Flight had also just come out so i was quickly educated in their history and lore. Suddenly the song Ladyfriend was the holy grail, how would i ever find it? I needed to hear it! But how? I imagined having to scour through stacks of old 45s in the ridiculously slim chance i would come across it. There really was no other way to find it. Perhaps in an ad in Goldmine magaine? Then in a record store in Edmonton i think it was i came across this Volume 2 as an import which i didn’t even know existed! In the pre-internet days one had no idea what albums were released in other countries and Volume 2 did not get a north american release. Lo and behold this volume 2 was like a gift from heaven AND IT HAD LADYFRIEND! Yes there it was and i could now hear this rare treasure of a song. I recently came across a second hand copy of the Sundazed 2LP Original Singles and bought it but it doesn’t do it for me. I’m going to let that go now that i have the blue volume 2 to complete my set of those magic mid 80s compilations that illuminated my days back then. Chuffed.
what a joy to see this. mason and hillman speaking on their early days and the "hunger" as they both share on parsons who as yoakum yelled to chris after taping his show with dwight. "you can't be a country music star if you have a trust fund". mason then mentions my dear old pal ned doheny and they all agreed. ned was a monster talent too. but never "hungry". good stuff.
I'm guessing it's widely known that Johnny Rogan himself acted as the producer of these compilations. Apparently Columbia wanted to do a third volume but Rogan told them not to bother. A real pity as there were indeed 7 more singles and it would have been an interesting album that might have recuperated the image of the later eras of the band: 1. Ballad of Easy Rider / 2. Oil In My Lamp 3. Wasn't Born to Follow / 4. Child of the Universe (UK-only release) 5. Jesus Is Just Alright / 6. Baby Blue 7. Chestnut Mare / 8. Just a Season 9. I Trust / 10. My Destiny (Europe-only release) 11. Glory Glory / 12. Citizen Kane 13. America's Great National Pastime / 14. Farther Along No overlap with the earlier volumes and honestly, song-for-song it would have been as good as volume 2. Even just the 5 US singles would have been a worthwhile release.
i have come to appreciate parsons moreso now than when he was influencing so many others when he was still alive. but gram and emmy lou. what's not to love. whereas i had an instant appreciation for dwight from guitars and cadillacs onward. i think the stuff he did with pete anderson was first rate. it's funny as i remember when he and guys like lauderdale played the la punk clubs and not just the pal. was a crazy time. "fast as you" and his lefty cover of "always late" are wide ranging and stellar. to my ears. but then i'm a fan of guys that cut stuff like i.e. chris isaak too. so while perhaps not an "originator" per se. they did justice to a style and genre and yet made it "their own". i think dwight qualifies in that regard.
For those unaware, I assume the article was discussing No Fun (pretty cool to think that The Byrds were the inspiration for that). Tribal Gathering might not be the best song on NBB, but I'm not sure I'd call it "dull" and "undistinguished."
Credited with inventing folk-rock, space-rock, psychedelic-rock, jazz-rock, country-rock and now punk. Quite a CV.
Well, Roger has the reflected glory and honor of knowing he didn’t help write this “dull” and “least distinguished track”.
I scored a couple of front row tickets to see Roger McGuinn perform in a small local venue in my town in September. Several years ago my mother and father had the good fortune of sitting with Roger and his wife at a benefit dinner. Both my mother and father could not say enough about how lovely and down-to-earth Roger and his wife were. They said that they had the perfect evening, full of laughter and good conversation. My mother passed away about a month ago, which hit my dad pretty hard. By chance, I came across the tickets and snatched them up immediately. I plan to fly my father up in September to see the concert and to spend a few weeks with me and my fiancée. It is something we are all very much looking forward to. My mom with Roger the night of the dinner.
