CD of the Week February 18-February 24, 2001

The Byrds

Live at the Fillmore-February 1969

Columbia/Legacy

In February 1969 the Byrds were sharing a bill with Mike Bloomfield and Friends. Columbia Records recording engineers were at the theatre to record the Bloomfiled part of the show, but they used the Byrds opening set as sort of a soundcheck. The Bloomfield set was eventually released as Live at Bill Graham’s Fillmore West, but the Byrds set was left unreleased until 2000 when Columbia/Legacy finally released it as part of the ongoing Live From the Archives series.

The 1969 version of the Byrds was in full country mode at this time. Gram Parsons had left the band, but Clarence White had replaced him. Clarence was one of the premiere Bluegrass and Country guitar pickers in the world at this point. With the Byrds he also began to add a rock edge to his work at times approaching the styles of guitarists like Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.

The set starts out with the zippy instrumental, "Nashville West". This little two-minute ditty was written by Clarence White and Gene Parsons and is named after their former band. This opening tune lets you know that this is not the folk rock Byrds of old, but a new honky tonk version where Clarence White is just as much the frontman as founder Roger McGuinn.

A series of heavily country influenced songs follow including a take of Woody Guthrie’s "Pretty Boy Floyd" and Roger McGuinn and Gram Parsons’ "Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man". On these songs White plays his self invented String Bender Guitar which enables him to summon the sound of a pedal steel guitar whenever he sees fit.

Next up is a medley of the classic Byrds hits which must have been played to please the fans who may have thought that they had bought a ticket to see the wrong Byrds. In under ten minutes the band flys through "Turn, Turn, Turn", "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Eight Miles High" in rapid succession. On "Eight Miles High" White really breaks loose with some heavily psychedelic licks.

Next it is right back to the country with songs like "Close up the Honky Tonks", "Buckaroo", and "The Christian Life" . The rest of the set is closed out with a mix of country covers and Byrds originals. Highlights include McGuinn and White shredding an apocalyptic version of Dylan’s ‘This Wheels on Fire" and McGuinn crooning Merl Haggard’s "Sing Me Back Home ", one of the saddest songs ever.

The whole set is dominated by Clarence White’s virtuoso playing. His leads are so perfect and precise. He was such an incredible talent and this set really adds to his legacy. Practically every song is a showcase for his silvery playing. White was killed 4 years later by a drunk driver and I don’t think there has been a country player since that approaches his level.

So if you like the country version of the Byrds or if you like Clarence White be sure to search out this release. If you have never heard of Clarence White this is actually a very good place to start enjoying his unique guitar playing.