Chris Hillman Interview

Chris comments negatively on Gene & Mike, plus Roger for keeping The Byrds name alive after he left. Nashville Now. 3/1/1990

[Byrdsguy]

I think Chris handled all the questions real well and not just about his band mates. If I'm correct the MC is Ralph Emery who was a Nashville DJ who resented the Byrds back in 1968 recording the "Sweatheart of the Rodo" album  in Nashville and refused to play any of it's songs on his Nashville radio station. The Byrds song "Drug Store Truck Driving Man" was writting about him complaining about his behavior. Both Chris and Ralph probably know about the song and why it was written. The song was recorded in 1968 and Ralph flubbs things more by saying stuff like "The Byrds did their thing in the earily 1970's or Mid "70's" which would add insult to injury but Chris being a true seasoned professional, acts as cool as a cucumber!

[learnthroughmusicandlyrics]

As evidenced by Chris's commentary here, I think it is fair to say that no member of The Byrds (original or latter-day lineups) walked away from the band without carrying any grudges. Even though David Crosby has been persistent in trying to reunite with McGuinn and Hillman and carry out a Byrds reunion tour or project of some kind in more recent years, clearly the band is a thing of the past and none of the living members (including Gene Parsons and John York) want to revive any of it. Still, they have their place in Rock & Roll history and will never be forgotten!

[carlrudd]

..|.. this one's for YOU, Ralph!

[bobquack]

Emery had to change his tact after the Byrds became influential. He acknowledges that Sweetheart of the Rodeo (which he couldn't remember the name of) inspired the country duo of the same name. Pssht.

[magmasunburst]

Wow, the hum reminds me of practicing with bandmates at the high school level.

[EightMilesHigh]

I can't get over the line "mike and Gene? At birth."

[patrickrooney]

Ralph Emory is so arrogant he hated the Byrds and Sweetheart of the Rodeo and he told Gram Parsons and Roger Mcguinn that when they were on his show after they played the Opry. Ralph Emory actually asked Roger Mcguinn about how Gram was when Gram was dead for at least 10 years.

[davidmurray]

Over the years Sweetheart has been overhyped in the extreme. In the wake of Notorious Byrd Bros it seemed at the time, shocking and absurd. The Burrito Bros Gilded Palace of Sin which appeared shortly thereafter, buried its predecessor artistically and defined the fledgling alt country genre. Of course at the other end of the scale, The Eagles took what they heard and reshaped it into supermarket music, still an auditory fixture in a vast majority of big box store shopping aisles to this day.