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The Flying Burrito Brothers initially referred to an informal group of
Los Angeles musicians, notably former members of the International Submarine
Band (bass player Ian Dunlop and drummer Mickey Gauvin), the Remains (The)
(guitarist/vocalist Barry Tashain and keyboard player Bill Briggs), horn
player Junior Markham, saxophonist Bobby Keys, Russell, Leon and
Jesse "Ed" Davis. The name was appropriated in 1968 by former Byrds (The) members
Parsons, Gram
(b. Ingram Cecil Connor III, 5 November 1946, Winter Haven, Florida, USA,
d. 19 September 1973, Joshua Tree, California, USA; guitar, vocals) and
Hillman, Chris
(b. 4 December 1942, Los Angeles, California, USA; guitar, vocals) for a
new venture that would integrate rock and country styles. "Sneaky" Pete
Kleinow (pedal steel), Chris Ethridge (bass) plus various drummers
completed the line-up featured on The Gilded Palace Of
Sin, where the founding duo's vision of a pan-American music
flourished freely. The material ranged from the jauntily acerbic
"Christine's Tune" to the maudlin "Hippy Boy", but its highlights included
Parsons' emotional reading of two southern soul standards, "The Dark End
Of The Street" and "Do Right Woman - Do Right Man", and his own poignant
"Hot Burrito #1" and the impassioned "Hot Burrito #2". The album's sense
of cultural estrangement captured a late 60s restlessness and reflected
the rural traditions of antecedents the Everly Brothers
(The). This artistic triumph was never repeated. Burrito Deluxe, on
which guitar player Bernie Leadon (b. 19 July 1947, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, USA) replaced Ethridge (Hillman switched to bass) and Michael
Clarke (b. Michael Dick, 3 June 1944, Spokane, Washington State, USA, d.
19 December 1993, Treasure Island, Florida, USA), formerly of the Byrds,
became the permanent drummer, showed a band unsure of direction as
Parsons' role became increasingly questionable. After recording some
classic country songs with the band at Hollywood's Sound Factory, Parsons
left for a solo career in summer 1970. With the arrival of young
songwriter Rick Roberts (b. Florida, USA) the Flying Burrito
Brothers again asserted their high quality. The underrated The Flying
Burrito Bros was a cohesive, purposeful set, marked by the inclusion
of Roberts' "Colorado", Clark, Gene's "Tried
So Hard" and Haggard,
Merle's "White Line Fever", plus several other excellent Roberts
originals. Unfortunately, the band was again bedevilled by defections. In
1971, Leadon joined the Eagles while Kleinow opted for a career in
session work, but Hillman, Clarke and Roberts were then buoyed by the
arrival of Perkins,
Al (pedal steel), Kenny Wertz (guitar), Roger Bush (bass) and
Berline, Byron
(b. 6 July 1944, Caldwell, Kansas, USA; fiddle) in March 1971. Wertz, Bush
and Berline had formed the bluegrass outfit Country Gazette two
months earlier, but were persuaded to join the Flying Burrito Brothers.
Last Of The Red Hot
Burritos captured the excitement and power of their live show, but
the septet was sundered in October 1971 when Hillman and Perkins joined
Stills, Stephen
in Manassas, and Clarke left as well. Roberts, Wertz, Berline and
Bush were joined by Alan Munde (banjo), Erik Dalton (drums) and Don Beck
(steel guitar) on a tour of Europe, highlights of which were released on
the Six Days On The Road: Live In Amsterdam album. After the tour
finished, Wertz, Bush, Berline and Munde elected to concentrate on Country
Gazette, while Roberts embarked on a solo career before founding Firefall with Michael
Clarke. However, much to the consternation of Hillman, former manager Ed
Tickner commandeered the Flying Burrito Brothers' name with Kleinow,
Ethridge, Parsons,
Gene (b. Eugene Victor Parsons, 4 September 1944, Los Angeles,
California, USA; guitar, vocals), Joel Scott Hill (vocals), and Gib
Guilbeau (b. Floyd Guilbeau, 26 September 1937, Sunset, Louisiana, USA;
fiddle). This new line-up signed a deal with Columbia Records and
released the lacklustre Flying Again in October 1975. Ethridge was
replaced by Battin,
Skip (b. Clyde Battin, 2 February 1934, Galipolis, Ohio, USA;
ex-Byrds) for the following year's Airborne. Hill, Guilbeau and
Kleinow subsequently formed Sierra with Thad Maxwell (bass) and Mickey
McGee (drums). After one unsuccessful album for Mercury Records,
Guilbeau, Kleinow, McGee reunited with Parson and Battin to tour Europe
and Japan as the Flying Burrito Brothers. Two live albums ( Flying
High and Close
Encounters To The West Coast ) document this period.
Guitarist/vocalist Greg Harris was added to the line-up for further tours,
but by the time the band enjoyed a surprise minor US country hit with a
live version of "White Line Fever" (included on the Live From Tokyo
album), Parsons, Harris and McGee had gone their separate ways. The
arrival of country veteran John Beland (b. 1949, Hometown, Chicago,
Illinois, USA), who had played with Guilbeau in Swampwater, provided
the group with a proven songwriter worthy of the earlier pioneering
line-up. Now recording as the Burrito Brothers, the new line-up signed a
contract with Curb Records and, in 1981, enjoyed Top 20 success on
the country charts with the slick country pop of "Does She Wish She Was
Single Again" and "She Belongs To Everyone But Me". Battin objected to the
new sound and left during the recording of Hearts On The Line, and
Kleinow elected to stay in Los Angeles and concentrate on film work.
Beland and Guilbeau relocated to Nashville in a desperate attempt to
revive their flagging fortunes, but the Scruggs, Randy -produced
sessions for their third Curb album remained unreleased until several
years later. While the Burrito Brothers were on their last legs, a varying
line-up of Gene Parsons, Kleinow, Battin, Harris, and drummers Ed Ponder
and Jim Goodall had begun touring as the Peace Seekers. When the Burrito
Brothers split up in 1985, Kleinow reclaimed the Flying Burrito Brothers
and toured with Battin, Harris and Goodall, a line-up captured on the
Relix Records releases Cabin Fever and
Encore: Live From Europe. At the same time, Beland and Guilbeau
briefly reuinted to record a last Burrito Brothers album. The latter also
recorded several demos with Kleinow in Memphis, later released on
Southern Tracks. In 1989, Beland and Guilbeau joined up with
Kleinow, Larry Patton (bass, vocals) and Rick Lenow (drums) under the
Flying Burrito Brothers name. In 1991, Beland, Guilbeau, Kleinow, Brian
Cadd (b. 29 November 1949, Perth, Australia; keyboards), George
Grantham (b. 20 November 1947, Cordell, Oklahoma, USA; drums, also of
Poco ), and the
returning Chris Ethridge recorded an album, released two years later as
Eye Of The Hurricane. Larry Patton and drummer Gary Kubal joined
Beland, Guilbeau, Kleinow on the next album, 1997's California
Juxebox. Guilbeau and Kleinow subsequently departed, meaning no
original members participated on the recording of Sons Of The Golden
West.
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