I started today with a collection by Chris Hillman & The Desert Rose Band. Chris was the bassist in The Byrds of course, and then went on to have a solo career, putting out a number of great Bluegrass (what he was playing before being recruited into The Byrds) albums on Sugar Hill Records (in excellent recorded sound quality, by the way). The members of The Desert Rose Band, a Country Super Group, are Chris’ now-current partner singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist Herb Pedersen (who has made many fine albums on his own), Telecaster master John Jorgenson (later in The Hellecasters), and pedal steel guitarist Jay Dee Maness, the best in the business. Not a bad line-up! Chris & the boys were a very successful 90’s Country Group, back when there was still some Country that was actually Country, not Eagles flavored Rock!
The album (MCA 10018) is great from start to finish, but let me highlight three tracks:
"Hello Trouble": Very Buck Owens influenced, with Chris employing Buck’s phrasing to great effect. And John’s guitar playing is just dazzling, with an incredible solo. Steel guitarist Jay Dee Maness also plays up to his usual ridiculously high standards.
"Will This Be The Day": Very Byrds-ish, with electric 12-string playing the signature D-chord motif from The Byrds "Feel A Whole Lot Better" throughout the song. I absolutely adore how bassist Bill Bryson plays inversions starting on the second section of the second chorus. Bass inversions, my absolutely favorite thing in music, employed by many of the greats, from J.S. Bach to Brian Wilson.
"Price I Pay": Ridiculous guitar playing by John (who quotes George Harrison’s signature "I Feel Fine" guitar part in this song!) and Jay, with harmony vocals by the sublime EmmyLou Harris, one of the best singers in the world. What’s not to like?!
I can’t imagine being without the music on this, and all Desert Rose Band, album(s). Buy it!
