Chris Hillman
Chris Hillman | |
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Souther Hillman Furay Band | |
Website | www |
Christopher Hillman (born December 4, 1944)[1] is an American musician. He was the original bassist of the Byrds.
With frequent collaborator Gram Parsons, Hillman was a key figure in the development of country rock, defining the genre through his work with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas and the country-rock group the Desert Rose Band. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 as a member of the Byrds.
Early years
Hillman was born in Los Angeles, California, the third of four children.
Hillman became known in San Diego's folk music community as a solid player; this won him an invitation to join his first band, the
The Byrds
At this point a frustrated Hillman considered quitting music and enrolling at
Hillman kept a low profile on the band's first two albums, on which McGuinn and Clark shared lead vocals with Crosby adding high harmony and singing the bridge on "All I Really Want to Do". However, Clark's departure in 1966 and Crosby's growing restlessness allowed Hillman the opportunity to develop as a singer and songwriter in the group. He came into his own on the Byrds' 1967 album Younger Than Yesterday, co-writing and sharing lead vocals with McGuinn on the hit "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star".[1] Hillman also wrote (and sang) the minor hit "Have You Seen Her Face", "Thoughts and Words", "Time Between" and "The Girl with No Name", the latter two demonstrating his bluegrass and country roots. Hillman's prominence continued with the Byrds' next album, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, on which he shared songwriting credit on seven of the album's eleven songs.
Pioneering country rock
Internal strife dogged the Byrds, and by the beginning of 1968 the band was down to two original members (Hillman and McGuinn), with Hillman's cousin Kevin Kelley on drums. They then hired Gram Parsons to replace Crosby. Hillman, who had brought country music into the Byrds' earliest recording of "Satisfied Mind", found another lover of country music in Parsons. Sweetheart of the Rodeo was recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles and continues to inspire musicians in the Americana format.[1] Parsons left the band shortly thereafter; Hillman brought in former Kentucky Colonels guitarist Clarence White as a replacement and White suggested that the group replace Kelley with Gene Parsons (no relation to Gram) on drums, but this line-up was short-lived and Hillman himself left the Byrds due to financial misappropriation by their management.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
Hillman teamed with Gram Parsons again (this time as vocalist, guitarist and songwriter) to form the
1970s
Before the Flying Burrito Brothers disbanded, Hillman joined
Hillman released two solo albums, Slippin' Away and Clear Sailin',
Desert Rose Band
By the early 1980s Hillman had returned to his bluegrass and country roots, recording two acclaimed (mainly acoustic) albums for
Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, JayDee Maness, John Jorgenson, Bill Bryson, and Steve Duncan performed their first reunion concert on August 27, 2008 in Solana Beach, CA. Before this date Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen were as a duo joined by John Jorgenson on May 2, 2008 for a small DRB set at the Station Inn in Nashville. This six-man lineup is the best known, and includes all of the original members present on the hit albums from the 1980s. At this show, Hillman said it was the first time they had played together in 19 years. They went through a string of DRB hits but were unable to play "He's Back and I'm Blue" because Hillman said he had forgotten the words. This sold-out show prompted Hillman and the band to play a handful of other reunion shows at music festivals throughout the U.S. Several of these were recorded for inclusion on a live album, which Hillman hopes to release in the U.S. and Europe. If released, this will be the Desert Rose Band's only live album.
1990s and beyond
At the peak of the Desert Rose Band's success, Hillman began appearing infrequently with McGuinn. A duet recorded by the pair for the
After a brief hiatus Hillman and Pedersen returned with Way Out West (2002), a 17-track collection of country, roots rock and Americana; this was followed by The Other Side (2005). In 2010 he recorded "Live at Edwards Barn" with Herb Pedersen for Rounder Records.
Hillman has continued to write, perform and tour, with dates in 2017 with Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson.[4] He released his latest album, Bidin' My Time (2017), co-produced with Tom Petty, featuring guests including Roger McGuinn, David Crosby and members of The Heartbreakers. This has been described as "a kind of summing up of Hillman's long and varied career, incorporating the folk, bluegrass, country and rock styles he's touched on over the years."[5]
Along with Roger McGuinn, Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, Hillman toured in the U.S. with the 50th Anniversary of the Sweetheart of the Rodeo, to sold out venues and outstanding reviews.
His memoir, Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond, was published by BMG Books in November 2020, with positive reviews in Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, and now in the second printing.
Personal life
Chris Hillman identifies as a Christian although his father was Jewish.[6] He married former record executive Connie Pappas in 1979, who influenced him to affiliate with the Greek Orthodox Church. He later stated, "I’m still learning. You know what I do on Sundays? I sing in a choir. I sing in a Greek Orthodox choir, and I’m the only hillbilly tenor in the Orthodox Church."[7] Hillman and Pappas have two children, Catherine and Nicholas.[8]
Discography
Other Singles
Year | Single | Peak positions | Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US Country[9] | CAN Country[10] | |||
1984 | "Somebody's Back in Town" | 81 | — | Desert Rose |
1985 | "Running the Roadblocks" | 77 | — | |
1989 | " You Ain't Going Nowhere" (with Roger McGuinn )
|
6 | 11 | Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
References
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
- ^ "Guitarist Chris Hillman". Library of Congress. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Chris Hillman: 'Turn, Turn, Turn'". Cbn.com. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- ^ "Tour Dates". Chris Hillman. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- ^ Graff, Gary (September 19, 2017). "Byrds Legend Chris Hillman Premieres Tom Petty-Produced 'Bidin' My Time' Album: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
- ^ "Counsel of Elders: Chris Hillman on Looking Across Time". The Bluegrass Situation. November 10, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
- ^ "I like the Christian life: The Byrds' Hillman talks about his faith". November 5, 2013.
- ^ Savage, Mark (March 27, 2018). "5 pop songs you didn't know were about God". BBC.
- ISBN 978-0-89820-229-8.
- ^ "RPM 100 Country Singles". RPM. July 31, 1989. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
External links
- Official homepage
- Chris Hillman at AllMusic
- Chris Hillman discography at Discogs
- 2003 Interview
- 2009 Radio Interview
- Chris Hillman discography at Byrds Flyght Archived February 11, 2021, at the Wayback Machine