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The Byrds were
the first American supergroup. The combination of Roger McGuinn's ringing 12-string
Rickenbacker guitar, Gene Clark's poetry, David Crosby's harmonies, Chris Hillman's
bluegrass-influenced bass playing and Michael Clarke's enthusiastic drumming ushered
in a new era of Rock 'n' Roll. A music that changed the way we felt and thought and
looked at ourselves and each other.
Along the way music changed and so did The Byrds. They begat folk-rock, raga-rock, acid-rock, country-rock, space-rock, and some of the best personal music ever created. The acoustic instruments of the early 'pre-flyte' days gave way to electric, which gave way to a variety of musical and sound-processing effects, culminating in the use of a Moog synthesizer by Roger McGuinn. Just when the electronics and experimentation leaned towards excess, The Byrds swung back to the purity of country music, spurred on by newcomer/short-timer Gram Parsons, on 'Sweetheart of The Rodeo'.
As the years went by members came and went, but the focus remained on the music. The Byrds steadily improved as a touring band, eventually making live recordings part of an official release. The Byrds created one of the most admired canons in popular music, widely influential and revered, culminating in a reunion album which was a commercial success, but a critical failure. Since that time there have been partial and complete regroupings, with varying degrees of success, but one thing has remained constant: the vision of group founder and leader Roger McGuinn. This page is for The Byrds, the fans, and especially Roger, one of the most generous people in the music business.
Welcome to the Byrds Online Appreciation Society
(BOAS) - No dues are necessary, there are no forms to fill out, all you need
to do is just settle in, tune in and enjoy!
The Byrds - A basic history
A
comprehensive BYRDS Discography
The
BYRDS Pocket Reviews by Tom(my) Thunder
THE BYRDS - A Photo History
BYRDS-related Books
A
sampling of BYRDS-influenced artists
Fan Pages: Tributes and more
Kenton Adler's Byrds/Roger McGuinn Pages
Raoul Verollemans' Byrds Flyght Pages
Tim Connor's Byrdwatcher Pages
Gene
Clark Lives!
Larry
Klug's Gram Parsons Site
Koji
Kihara's Clarence White Page(s)
"McByrds"
Tape Trading Page(s)
The Biz: Stars, Guitars And The Whole Eight Bars
Sony Music's (Columbia/Legacy) Byrds Page
Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame BYRDS Page
PBS: History of Rock'n'Roll - 'Shakespears in The Alley'
PBS: History of Rock'n'Roll - 'Blues in Technicolor'
Rickenbacker Official Website
'Vintage Guitars' Rickenbacker Guitar Info
'Inside Clarence White's Telecaster'
BYRDS Tablature
Sundazed Records: Byrds Compilations & Rarities
Sierra Records: Byrds and Byrds-related Recordings
The Byrds Producers
Terry Melcher Remembered
Gary Usher Remembered
Bob Johnston: An Interview (MIX Magazine)
Byrds Photographers: Barry Feinstein & Henry Diltz
Barry Feinstein's Official Page
Henry Diltz' MySpace Page
BYRDS Venue: McCabe's
Guitar Shop - Santa Monica, California
The Byrds: Survivors and Friends
The Original Chris Hillman Page
The Official Chris Hillman Page
Roger
McGuinn's Home Page
BYRDS
Associate: Harvey Gerst's Indian Trail Recording Studio
BYRDS Contemporaries: The Buffalo Springfield
BYRDS Contemporaries: Poco
BYRDS Spin-off: Crosby,
Stills & Nash Home Page
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Home Page
David Crosby/CPR
BYRDS
Booster: Jackie DeShannon
BYRDS
Boosters: The Smothers Brothers
The Byrds: Latter-Day Byrds
Gene Parson's Stringbender
John (& Sumi) York's Page
BUYER BEWARE: 'The "bogus" Byrds' - no cause for 'celebration'!
The Author: Tom Thunder
Meet
Tom Thunder!
Super Talent: Hot Cats and Cool Kitties
The Official Walter Egan Website
WALTER EGAN - A Few Kind Words
The MALIBOOZ!!
The Spongetones!
Cheryl Wheeler
Steve Forbert
Shawn Colvin
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
Little Steven's Underground Garage
Chicago Bands of The Sixties
If you grew up in the Chicago area in the mid-sixties, The Buckinghams, Cryan Shames, New Colony Six and Shadows of Knight were the local music equivalent of The Beatles, Stones, Who, Animals, et.al.
Superstations WLS and WCFL battled for the AM broadcasting crown, and these bands were everywhere.
I remember the Buckinghams 'civil war' album cover photos from 'Portraits' being reproduced, full page in either the Chicago Sun-Times or Tribune.
Another band, possibly the New Colony Six, was in a Montgomery Ward catalog, in the musical instrument section.
While you can't go home again, you can visit these band sites and marvel at the great music they made.
The Buckinghams
The Cryan Shames
The New Colony Six
The Shadows of Knight
WTTW: Chicago Rock Bands of The Sixties
  DCrosby106@aol.com    
Designed By Tom Robinson of Icon Records, Lakewood, CA, Copyright © 1996, 2007 - all rights reserved  Roger McGuinn musical performance (Intro: 'So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star'), copyright © 1995, Roger McGuinn, used by permission, all rights reserved.
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