The Flying Burrito Brothers Country-Rock pioneers...for Keith Mahan... The Flying Burrito Brothers I (1967 - 1968) Barry Tashian - guitar/vocals - formerly with The Remains. Ian Dunlop - bass/guitar/sax/vocals - formerly with The International Submarine Band. Billy Briggs - keyboards - formerly with The Remains. Mickey Gauvin - drums - formerly with The International Submarine Band. Junior Markham - horns Bobby Keys - sax - formerly with Leon Russell. Gram Parsons occasionally performed with this version of the band. The Flying Burrito Brothers II (1968 - 1969) Gram Parsons - guitar/vocals - b. Ingram Cecil Connor III, November 5, 1946, Waycross, Georgia, USA; d. September 19, 1973, Joshua Tree National Monument, California, USA - formerly with The Pacers, The Legends, The Shilos, The Like, The International Submarine Band, and The Byrds. Chris Hillman - guitar/mandolin/vocals - b. December 4, 1942, Los Angeles, California - formerly with The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, The Golden Gate Boys / The Hillmen, The Green Grass Group, and The Byrds. Chris Ethridge - bass/keyboards/vocals - formerly with The International Submarine Band. "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar - d. January 6, 2007, Petaluma, California. Jon Corneal - drums - formerly with The International Submarine Band. Album: "The Gilded Palace Of Sin" (1969) The Flying Burrito Brothers III (1969) Gram Parsons - guitar/keyboards/vocals Chris Hillman - guitar/mandolin/vocals Chris Ethridge - bass/keyboards/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Michael Clarke - drums - b. June 3, 1944, New York City, New York; d. December 19, 1993, Treasure Island, Florida - formerly with The Byrds and The Dillard & Clark Expedition. The Flying Burrito Brothers IV (1969 - June 1970) Gram Parsons - guitar/keyboards/vocals Chris Hillman - bass/mandolin/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Michael Clarke - drums Bernie Leadon - guitar/dobro/vocals - b. Bernard Leadon, July 19, 1947, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA - formerly with Hearts and Flowers and The Dillard & Clark Expedition. Albums: "Burrito Deluxe" (1970) - Singles: "Older Guys"/"Down In The Churchyard", "If You Gotta Go, Go Now"/"Cody, Cody" "The Gilded Palace Of Sin / Burrito Deluxe" (2-fer) (1999) "Sleepless Nights" (1976) Gram Parsons goes solo. The Flying Burrito Brothers V (June 1970 - September 1970) Chris Hillman - bass/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Michael Clarke - drums Bernie Leadon - guitar/vocals The Flying Burrito Brothers VI (September 1970 - 1971) Chris Hillman - bass/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Michael Clarke - drums Bernie Leadon - guitar/banjo/vocals Rick Roberts - guitar/vocals Album: "The Flying Burrito Brothers" (1971) - Singles: "Tried So Hard"/"Lazy Days", "Colorado"/"White Line Fever" "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow later joins Cold Steel. The Flying Burrito Brothers VII (1971) Chris Hillman - bass/vocals Michael Clarke - drums Bernie Leadon - guitar/banjo/vocals Rick Roberts - guitar/vocals Al Perkins - pedal-steel guitar Bernie Leadon joins Linda Ronstadt's band, and later joins The Eagles. The Flying Burrito Brothers VIII (1971 - October 1971) Chris Hillman - bass/vocals Michael Clarke - drums Rick Roberts - guitar/vocals Al Perkins - pedal-steel guitar Kenny Wertz - guitar/banjo/vocals - formerly with The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. Byron Berline - fiddle - formerly with Dillard & Clark and Country Gazette. Roger Bush - bass - formerly with Dillard & Clark and Country Gazette. Album: "Last Of The Red Hot Burritos" (live) (1972) Chris Hillman joins Stephen Still's Manassas, and later joins the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band.  Michael Clarke later joins Firefall. The Flying Burrito Brothers IX (October 1971 - 1972) Rick Roberts - guitar/vocals Kenny Wertz - guitar/banjo/vocals Byron Berline - fiddle Roger Bush - bass Alan Munde - banjo Don Beck - pedal-steel guitar Erik Dalton - drums Album: "Six Days On The Road: Live In Amsterdam" (live) (1973) Group disbands.  Rick Roberts goes solo, and later forms Firefall. Kenny Wertz, Byron Berline, Roger Bush, and Alan Munde re-form bluegrass band Country Gazette. The Flying Burrito Brothers IX (1974 - 1975) (reformed) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Chris Ethridge - bass/vocals Gene Parsons - guitar/harmonica/drums/vocals - formerly with The Castaways, Cajun Gib & Gene, Nashville West, and The Byrds. Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals - formerly with The Castaways, Cajun Gib & Gene, Nashville West, Linda Ronstadt, Swampwater, and Cold Steel. Joel Scott Hill - guitar/vocals Albums: "Flying Again" (1975) - Singles: "Building Fires"/"Hot Burrito #3", "Bon Soir Blues"/"Hot Burrito #3" "From Another Time" (live) (1991) The Flying Burrito Brothers X (1975 - 1976) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gene Parsons - guitar/harmonica/drums/vocals Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals Joel Scott Hill - guitar/vocals Skip Battin - bass/vocals - formerly with The Byrds and The New Riders Of The Purple Sage. Albums: "Airborne" (1976) - Single: "Big Bayou"/"Waitin' For Love To Begin" "Sin City" (live) (1992) "The Bicentennial Burritos - '76" (1999) The Flying Burrito Brothers XI (1976 - October 1977) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar/vocals Gene Parsons - guitar/harmonica/drums/vocals Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/guitar/vocals Skip Battin - bass Bobby Cochran - guitar/vocals - b. Minnesota; Eddie Cochran's nephew. - formerly with Thee Midnighters, The Prophets, The Emperors, The Knack (not the same band that did "My Sharona"), The South, Kindred, and Steppenwolf [Ref: Bobby Cochran, May 2000 and April 2003]. Ed Ponder - drums Album: "The Red Album" (2002) - recorded live at a studio party in Hollywood, California. Sierra (1977) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals Bobby Cochran - guitar/vocals Thad Maxwell - bass - formerly with Swampwater. Mickey McGee - drums Album: "Sierra" (1977) The Flying Burrito Brothers XII (1978) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gene Parsons - guitar/vocals Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals Skip Battin - bass/vocals Mickey McGee - drums Albums: "Flying High" (live) (1978) "Close Encounters To The West Coast" (live) (1991) The Flying Burrito Brothers XIII (1979) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gene Parsons - guitar/vocals Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals Skip Battin - bass/vocals Mickey McGee - drums Greg Harris - guitar/vocals Album: "Live From Tokyo" (live) (1979) - Single: "White Line Fever"/"Big Bayou" Gene Parsons and Greg Harris later join The Peace Seekers (with Skip Battin and Ed Ponder). The Flying Burrito Brothers XIV (1979 - 1980) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals Skip Battin - bass/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Album: "Hearts On The Line" (1981) - Singles: "She's A Friend Of A Friend", "Does She Wish She Was Single Again?"/"Oh Lonesome Me", "She Belongs To Everyone But Me"/"Why Must The Ending Always Be So Sad" Skip Battin later joins The Peace Seekers (with Gene Parsons, Greg Harris, and Ed Ponder). The Flying Burrito Brothers XV (1980 - 1982) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Album: "Sunset Sundown" (1982) - Singles: "If Something Should Come Between Us (Let It Be Love)"/"Damned If I'll Be Lonely Tonight", "Closer To You"/"Coast To Coast", "I'm Drinking Canada Dry"/"How'd We Ever Get That Way" The Flying Burrito Brothers XVI (1982 - 1985) Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Albums: "Taste Of The Country" (released only in Europe) (1988) - Singles: "Blue And Broken-Hearted Me"/"Our Roots Are In Country Music", "Could You Love Me One More Time"/"Rollercoaster" "Double Barrel" (released only in Europe) (1995) The Peace Seekers I (1983 - 1984) Gene Parsons - guitar/vocals Greg Harris - guitar/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Skip Battin - bass/vocals Ed Ponder - drums The Peace Seekers II (1984 - 1985) Gene Parsons - guitar/vocals Greg Harris - guitar/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Skip Battin - bass/vocals Jim Goodall - drums The Flying Burrito Brothers XVII (1985 - 1986) Greg Harris - guitar/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Skip Battin - bass/vocals Jim Goodall - drums Albums: "Cabin Fever" (live) (1985) "Encore - Live From Europe" (live) (1986) "Live From Amsterdam - 1985" (live) (1997) The Flying Burrito Brothers XVIII (1986) Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Album: "Back To The Sweetheart Of The Rodeo (aka, The Burrito Bros. Farewell Album)" (2-CDs) (1987) The Flying Burrito Brothers XIX ( ? - ? ) Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar The Flying Burrito Brothers XX (1989) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals The Flying Burrito Brothers XXI (1989 - 1991) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Larry Patton - bass/vocals - formerly with Bobby Bare. Rick Lenow - drums The Flying Burrito Brothers XXII (1991) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Chris Ethridge - bass Brian Cadd - keyboards George Grantham - drums - formerly with Poco. George Grantham joins the reformed Poco. The Flying Burrito Brothers XXIII (1991 - 1997) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Chris Ethridge - bass Brian Cadd - keyboards Ronnie Tutt - drums Album: "Eye Of A Hurricane" (1993) The Flying Burrito Brothers XXIV (1997 - ? ) "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow - pedal-steel guitar Gib Guilbeau - fiddle/vocals John Beland - guitar/vocals Larry Patton - bass Gary Kubal - drums Album: "California Jukebox" (1997) "Sons Of The Golden West" (1999) Compilations: "Close Up The Honky Tonks" (1974) "Honky Tonk Heaven" (1974) "Farther Along: The Best Of The Flying Burrito Brothers" (1988) "The Best Of The Flying Burrito Brothers" (1995) "Out Of The Blue" (2-CDs) (1996) "Hot Burrito!: The Flying Burrito Brothers Anthology 1969-1972" (2-CDs) (2000) "20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best Of The Flying Burrito Brothers" (2001) "Best Of The Flying Burrito Brothers" (2001) "Sin City: The Very Best of The Flying Burrito Brothers" (2002) Chris Ethridge solo: "Chris Ethridge" (1971) Greg Harris solo: "Acoustic" (1979) "Electric" (1982) "Acoustic II" (1990) "Things Change" (1996) "Electro-Acoustics" (1997) Gib Guilbeau solo: "Classic Gib Guilbeau: 1968-1986" (2001) "Songs I Like" (2002) Links: Rarebird's Flying Burrito Brothers Reviews The Gram Parsons Homepage Beau Town Records / Gib Guilbeau - Official Site Bobby Cochran's web page   "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. Take me back to the Index... Last Revised:  June 8, 2009 Copyright © 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 by Gary S. Hartman.  All rights reserved.