This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand at the mongrel dogs who teach.Ĭopyright © 2019 NPR. THE BYRDS AND THE FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES: (Singing) Ah, but I was so much older then. Her latest is "Aretha: The Queen Of Soul." Our reviewer, Meredith Ochs, is the author of several books. THE BYRDS AND THE FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES: (Singing) Crimson flames tied through my ears, rolling high and mighty traps.ĬORNISH: That's The Byrds with Marty Stuart and his band, The Fabulous Superlatives, recorded live during their 2018 "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" tour. But there's also magic in the album itself, its long reach still rippling through both country and rock and roll. There was magic in conjuring "Sweetheart's" ghosts, telling the stories behind the songs and reminiscing about late, great colleagues and collaborators, especially Gram Parsons. But McGuinn and Hillman pulled it off nearly note for note with help from Marty Stuart, a dazzling showman who seamlessly melds past with present. OCHS: Recreating an exalted 50-year-old album in concert is risky business. THE BYRDS: (Singing) One hundred years from this day, will the people still feel this way? (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ONE HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW") He also contributed two of his most memorable songs to "Sweetheart," including this one. Parsons later went on to form The Flying Burrito Brothers with Byrds bassist Chris Hillman and record with Emmylou Harris before his death in 1973 at age 26. He called this mix of genres cosmic American music. He was only part of The Byrds for several months, but it was Parsons who led the band down this country road, his influence deeply felt throughout the album. OCHS: "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" is as much a landmark for its groundbreaking sound as it is for introducing singer-songwriter Gram Parsons to a broader audience. You don't miss your water till your well runs dry. THE BYRDS: (Singing) But when you left me, oh, how I cried. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YOU DON'T MISS YOUR WATER") Even though "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo," their sixth album, was unabashedly country, they included a twanged-out version of this R&B hit by William Bell, blurring the lines between country and soul music. They sort of experimented themselves off the charts, but they kept pushing boundaries. They established themselves as folk rockers but grew increasingly adventurous over the five albums that followed, exploring psychedelia, jazz, raga and more. OCHS: "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is one of more than a dozen Bob Dylan songs that the Byrds recorded during their career, beginning with their 1965 debut. Oh, oh, are we going to fly down in the easy chair. Tomorrow's the day my bride's going to come. THE BYRDS: (Singing) Whoo-ee (ph), ride me high. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "YOU AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE") But the Byrds were one of the bands that set the template. Americana artists like Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell have topped both country and pop charts and collected multiple Grammys. These days, that kind of crossover can lead to hit records. "Sweetheart" also stalled at number 77 on Billboard's album chart, a steep decline for a band who'd already hit the top 10. With steel guitar and banjo, covers of Merle Haggard, the Louvin Brothers and others, they debuted their new sound at the Grand Ole Opry. MEREDITH OCHS, BYLINE: In 1968, "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" was too country for rock fans, and the Byrds were too rock for country fans. And to help them resurrect the album, they enlisted Marty Stuart and his band, who are some of Nashville's most renowned musicians. To commemorate it, founding members Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman reunited for a brief tour. And I tell this truth to you.ĬORNISH: It was a commercial flop when it was released. THE BYRDS: (Singing) Nothing was delivered. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "NOTHING WAS DELIVERED") Last year marked the 50th anniversary of The Byrds' album "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo."
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