Gene Parsons - Melodies (1979)

Gene Parsons is an American country-rock musician, best known for his years as drummer for The Byrds.

After leaving The Byrds and releasing his debut solo album (1973's Kindling), Gene Parsons joined a new incarnation of The Flying Burrito Brothers, with founding members Chris Ethridge and Sneaky Pete Kleinow (plus Gib Guilbeau and Joel Scott Hill). He was with them for two studio albums - Flying Again and Airborne. As with The Byrds, he was the group's drummer, and also sang and wrote a few good songs. He left the Burritos in 1976 due to a wrist injury, and rejoined again briefly in 1978, before leaving them for the final time.
His second solo album, Melodies, came out in 1979, consisting of some more rootsy country-rock. He played a large share of the instruments himself, not just drums but also guitar, bass, banjo, pedal steel and harmonica. Assistance came from Herb Pederson (backing vocals), Albert Lee (guitar), Bob Warford (guitar), Joey Larson (guitar), Greg Harris (guitar/mandolin), Pierer Bensusan (mandolin), David Vaught (bass guitar), Roger Bush (string bass), Luis Cabaza (piano/organ/clavinet) and Peter Wasner (piano). Warford, Lee and Parsons all made use of the guitar String Bender, a device that Parsons had invented with his old bandmate Clarence White to make the guitar sound like a pedal steel. Indeed it includes a tribute to White ("Melodies From A Bird In Flyght (For Clarence)"), who had died in 1973.
Alongside some good original songs, it included covers of "Why You Been Gone So Long" (Mickey Newbury), "Hot Burrito #1" (Gram Parsons and Chris Ethridge), "My Kingdom For A Car" (Phil Ochs) and the old western classic "Way Out There" (Bob Nolan).

Kindling (1973) <|> In Concert (2001)
More from Gene Parsons

Download

Gene Parsons - Kindling (1973)

Gene Parsons is an American country-rock musician, best known for his years as drummer for The Byrds.

Gene Parsons was born in California in 1944, and started his music career playing alongside Cajun fiddler Gib Guilbeau. The two of them recorded for Gary Paxton's Bakersfield International label, releasing singles as Cajun Gib & Gene, and working as session musicians for other artists on the label. Parsons played drums, harmonica and banjo. The two of them also joined guitarist Clarence White and bassist Wayne Moore to form Nashville West. Parsons and White later joined The Byrds in 1968, until the group was dissolved by bandleader Roger McGuinn (though Parsons was actually fired in 1972).
His debut solo album came out in 1973. It was a quiet, gentle, rather quaint country-rock affair, with almost all-acoustic instrumentation and flavours of bluegrass and cajun. Helping him out were past (and future) band-mates and other associates, including both White and Guilbeau, plus fiddler Vassar Clements, bassist Roger Bush and pianist Bill Payne (of Little Feat), among others. It consisted of mostly original songs alongside a great cover of Guilbeau's "Take A City Bride" and the Lowell George classic “Willin’”.

|> Melodies (1979)
More from Gene Parsons
Download