The Dillards

The Dillards I (1962 - 1964)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro - b. May 18, 1942, Salem, Missouri.
Doug Dillard - banjo - b. March 6, 1937, Salem, Missouri.
Mitchell Jayne - bass - b. May 7, 1930, Salem, Missouri.
Dean Webb - mandolin - b. March 28, 1937, Independence, Missouri.

Albums:

"Back Porch Blue Grass" (1963)
"Dillards Live! Almost!" (1964)
"A Long Time Ago, The First Time Live!" (1999)

This original linup of The Dillards went to Hollywood in 1962 and played as the hilbilly Darling Family band on The Andy Griffith Show.

The Dillards II (1964 - 1967)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro
Doug Dillard - banjo
Mitchell Jayne - bass
Dean Webb - mandolin
Byron Berline - fiddle - Born July 6, 1944, Caldwell, Kansas. Former national fiddling champion.

Albums:

"Pickin' and Fiddlin'" (1965)

Doug Dillard leaves The Dillards; he plays on "Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers" and later forms The Dillard & Clark Expedition with Gene Clark (ex-Byrds); also has a solo career. Byron Berline later becomes a member of The Flying Burrito Brothers.

The Dillards III (1967 - 1970)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro
Herb Pederson - banjo
Mitchell Jayne - bass
Dean Webb - mandolin

Albums:

"Wheatstraw Suite" (1968)

Electric and acoustic guitar virtuoso Clarence White was briefly a member of The Dillards during 1968.

The Dillards III (1970 - 1972)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro
Herb Pederson - banjo
Mitchell Jayne - bass
Dean Webb - mandolin
Paul York - drums

Albums:

"Copperfields" (1970)

Herb Pederson goes solo, and later appears in The Desert Rose Band.

The Dillards IV (1972 - 1974)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro
Billy Ray Latham - banjo
Mitchell Jayne - bass
Dean Webb - mandolin
Paul York - drums

Albums:

"Roots And Branches" (1972)
"Tribute To The American Duck" (1973)
"Tribute To The American Duck / Roots And Branches" (2-fer) (1996)

The Dillards V (1974 - 1978)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro
Billy Ray Latham - banjo
Jeff Gilkinson - bass
Dean Webb - mandolin
Paul York - drums

Albums:

"The Dillards Versus The Incredible L.A. Time Machine" (1977)
"Glitter-Grass from the Nashwood Hollyville Strings" (w/John Hartford and Doug Dillard) (1977)
"Mountain Rock" (1978)

The Dillards VI (1978 - 1979) (breakup)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro
Joe Villegas
Eddie Ponder
Peter Grant

Albums:

"Decade Waltz" (1979)

The Rodney Dillard Band (1979 - 1989)

Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro

Albums:

"Homecoming and Family Reunion" (w/Doug Dillard) (1980)
"Rodney Dillard at Silver Dollar City" (1985)
"I'll Fly Away" (1988)

The Dillards VII (1989 - 1993) (reformed)

Doug Dillard - banjo
Rodney Dillard - guitar/vocals/synthsizer/dobro
Mitchell Jayne - bass
Dean Webb - mandolin

Albums:

"Let It Fly" (1990)
"Take Me Along for the Ride" (1992)

Compilations:

"Best of the Dillards" (1976)
"There Is a Time (1963-70)" (1991)
"The Best Of The Darlin' Boys" (1997)

Links:

"DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" - by John Einarson; published by Cooper Square Press - Let me say right up front that I have been a big fan of country rock music ever since hearing the "Pickin' Up The Pieces" single from Poco's debut album. Poco has remained a favorite of mine through the years, although I always believed they were overlooked as a significant influence on popular music into the 1970s and the "new country" movement in the 1990s. Thankfully, this oversight is corrected by John Einarson in his book, "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock", which traces the history of country rock's rise in Southern California from the early days in the late 1960s up to The Eagles (unquestionably the most commercially-viable country rock band of all time). Having previously read one of Mr. Einarson's biographies on The Guess Who, I was anxious to see how he approached my favorite type of music...I was not disappointed. "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" is an intricate tale of musicians struggling to be heard amidst the psychedelic and hard-rock sounds flooding the airwaves at the time...and these early country rockers did make themselves heard...The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Poco, Buffalo Springfield, Clarence White, The Eagles, Michael Nesmith (remember The Monkees?...Nesmith made some great country rock music after that gig was over), The Dillards, Rick Nelson and The Stone Canyon Band, The Dillard and Clark Expedition, Linda Ronstadt, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band...the list could go on and on. This book covers the early days of country rock from it's beginnings in the late 1960s to the tragic year of 1973 (when the music world lost two country rock pioneers: guitarist-extraordinaire Clarence White and Gram Parsons) and examines the influence this music has had on second-generation country rock bands such as Pure Prairie League and Firefall. In addition, the impact of these early country rockers on the "new country" music of the 1980s and the "alternative country" movement of the late-1990s and beyond is explored from a "roots" perspective. This is a tale masterfully woven by Mr. Einarson, based on more than 60 exclusive interviews with the originators and innovators of country rock. The amount of information and level of detail contained in these 288 pages is astounding, and there are 31 black and white photographs (some of which I've never seen before). The only improvement that I would recommend is the inclusion of a comprehensive index in the next edition (this would really help in finding information on specific artists). Even though I've been following country rock music for years, I learned a lot from this book. The quotes gleaned from Mr. Einarson's interviews during research for this book are particularly helpful in understanding the origin and development of country rock. "DESPERADOS: The Roots of Country Rock" is required reading for all fans of country rock or anyone interested in late-1960s to early-1970s music. Highly recommended.