Second
Time Around
Byrds
Sweetheart of
the Rodeo (Columbia Legacy)
The two-CD set Sweetheart of the Rodeo brings you, more or less,
the five months during which the late country rock legend Gram Parsons
was a member of the Byrds and most of this material was recorded. What
a soap opera – Parsons came on board and somehow convinced Roger
McGuinn to go country instead of doing a historical exploration
of American music. They made the album, the results were mixed, and
McGuinn battled Parsons for control of the band. Nashville hated them,
and before Sweetheart of the Rodeo could be released, Lee Hazlewood
claimed he had Parsons under contract and threatened to sue, causing
several tracks with Parsons's vocals to be yanked (then again,
perhaps McGuinn just used the lawsuit as an excuse to replace the vocals
with his own). Parsons – thwarted and flattered by the attentions
of Keith and Mick – quit the band and, with the Byrds on the verge
of a South Africa tour, got the moral high ground as well. For the record,
original Byrds members McGuinn (exposed as a blue-collar musician with
talented sidekicks) and Chris Hillman are still pissed, going out of
their way in the liner notes to tarnish the Parsons myth by exposing
him as a spoiled rich kid, a trust-fund baby used to getting what he
wanted.
This album – widely ignored when it was released – paved
the way for the L.A. country rock that came later, by groups like Poco,
the Eagles, and Parsons's Flying Burrito Brothers. Its unpopularity
provided crucial lift to the legend of Parsons by shrouding him in the
kind of obscurity that's crucial to any cult figure. In fact, Parsons
brought all the flavor – and some rudimentary country chops –
to Sweetheart; doubters should check out the Byrds' next LP,
Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde, the first with McGuinn all alone at the
helm. The Byrds were at their best when they were loaded with talent
and everyone contributed. That can't be said about Sweetheart,
which is Parsons's album despite McGuinn's efforts to jump to the fore.
This package has Parsons material that didn't make the album, as well
as a bunch of alternate takes and even a few somewhat wooden cuts by
the International Submarine Band, which Parsons had left to join the
Byrds. It's a must for Parsons fans. (J.H. Tompkins)
