The Flying Burrito Brothers were formed by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman after leaving the Byrds in 1968. Gram Parsons had only been a member of the Byrds for a short period in 1968, but during his time with Byrds they recorded the legenday country-rock album “Sweetheart of the Rodeo”. Hilmann enjoyed this new direction and gladly follwed Parsons to form a new country-rock band.
Steel guitarist "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow and bassist Chris Ethridge completed the band and they recorded thier debut album with a variety of session drummers.
“The Gilded Palace of Sin” was released in the spring of 1969. . Before the band recorded their second album, Ethridge had left the band to be replaced by Bernie Leadon, and ex-Byrd Michael Clarke became their permanent drummer.
Burrito Deluxe was released in the spring of 1970. After its release, Gram Parsons left the group and was replaced by Rick Roberts. Roberts' first album with the band, “The Flying Burrito Brothers”, was released in 1971. After its release, Kleinow left the band and Leadon departed to join the Eagles. Steel guitarist Al Perkins and bassist Roger Bush to replace them, as well as adding guitarist Kenny Wertz and fiddler Byron Berline to the lineup. They recorded the live album The Last of the Red Hot Burritos, which was released in 1972. Soon after the band fell apart.
Close Up the Honky Tonks, a double-album Flying Burrito Brothers compilation, was released in 1974. A collection of Gram Parsons-era outtakes entitled Sleepless Nights was released on A&M Records in 1976.
New versions of the group have played and recorded during the 1980´s and 1990´s.
Key Band Members:
Chris Hillman: Born 1942, vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo and songwriter. Original Byrds member. Hilmann was a key-member of the original band. He is a great songwriter and a fine harmony-singer. It´s his vocals that occasionally make the band sound like the Byrds. Besides he a very gifted multi-instrumentalist
Gram Parson: Born 1946, guitar and vocals. Like Hilmann, Parsons was a fine songwriter. His early death in 1973 probably helped making him a country legend. He left after the second album
Pete Kleinow: Born 1934, s-guitar . Kleinow has been in formations of the band in the 1970´s, 1980´s and the 1990´s and as such the longest serving member.
Chris Ethridge: Born 1937, bass. Etheridge left after the first album, but retured to rejoin later versions.
Bernie Leadon: Guitar and vocals. Replaced Etheridge. Later joined the Eagles
Michael Clark: Born 1942, drums. Original Byrds member. Joined after the first album.
Rick Roberts: Guitar and vocals. Joined in 1970 to take Parson´s place.
Discography - 1969-74:
1. Gilded Palace Of Sin - AM Records 1969 Tracks:
1. Christine's Tune / 2. Sin City / 3. Do Right Woman / 4. Dark End Of The Street / 5. My Uncle / 6. Wheels / 7. Juanita / 8. Hot Burrito #1 / 9. Hot Burrito #2 / 10. Do You Know How it Feels to be Lonesome /11. Hippie Boy
Rating : 8
2. Burrito Deluxe - AM Records 1970 Tracks:
1. Lazy Days / 2. Image Of Me / 3. High Fashion Queen / 4. If You Gotta Go / 5. Man In The Fog / 6. Farther Along / 7. Older Guys / 8. Cody, Cody / 9. God's Own Singer / 10. Down In The Churchyard / 11. Wild Horses
Rating : 7
3. Flying Burrito Brothers - AM Records 1971 Tracks:
1. White Line Fever / 2. Colorado / 3. Hand to Mouth / 4. Tried so Hard / 5. Just Can´t Be / 6. To Ramona / 7. Four Days of Rain / 8. Can´t You Hear Me Calling / 9. All Alone / 10. Why Are You Crying
Rating : 7
4. Honky Tonk Heaven - AM Records 1973 ( 69-72 ) Tracks:
1. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down / 2. Angel / 3. Close Up the Honky Tonks / 4. Green, Green Grass Of Home / 5. Break My Mind / 6. Just Because / 7. Dim Lights / 8. Crazy Arms / 9. Bony Maronie / 10. Sing Me Back Home / 11. Six Days on the Road / 12. To Love Somebody / 13. Honky Tonk Women / 14. Lodi / 15. Together Again / 16. Did You See / 17. Beat the Heat / 18. Pick Me Up on Your Way Down / 19. Payday / 20. I´m My Own Small Way / 21. Feel Good Music / 22. Here Tonight
Rating : 6
5. Close Up the Honky Tonks - AM Records 1974 Tracks:
1. Close Up the Honky Tonks / 2. Sing Me Back Home / 3. Bony Maronie / 4. To Love Somebody / 5. Break My Mind / 6. Beat the Heat / 7. Did You See / 8. Here Tonight / 9. Money Honey / 10. Roll Over Beethoven / 11. Wake Up. Little Susie
Rating : 6
6. Sleepless Nights - AM Records 1976 ( 1970-73 ) Tracks:
1. Brand New Heartache / 2. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down / 3. Sing Me Back Home / 4. Your Angel Steps Out Of Heaven / 5. Crazy Arms / 6. Close Up The Honky Tonks / 7. Sleepless Nights / 8. Together Again / 9. Honky Tonk Woman / 10. Green, Green Grass Of Home /11. Dim Lights / 12. The Angels Rejoiced Last Night
Rating : 6
7. Flying Again - Columbia 1975 Tracks:
1. Easy to Get On / 2. Wind and Rain / 3. Why Baby Why / 4. Dim Lights, Thick Smoke / 5. You Left the Water Running / 6. Building Fires / 7. Sweet Desert Childhood / 8. Bon Soir Blues / 9. River Road / 10. Hot Burrito #3
Rating : 6
8. Airborne - Columbia 1976 Tracks:
1. Out of Control / 2. Waitin' for Love to Begin / 3. Toe Tappin' Music / 4. Quiet Man / 5. Northbound Bus / 6. Big Bayou / 7. Walk on the Water / 8. Linda Lu / 9. Border Town / 9. She's a Sailor / 10. Jesus Broke the Wild Horse
Rating : 5
Essential Albums!
Original albums as listed and rated on “Rate Your Music” - June 2 - 2016
38 Guilded Palace of Sin - 1969
357Sleepless Nights - 1976
506 Burrito Deluxe - 1970
655 Flying Burrito Brothers - 1971
Check and Rate Here!
December 25 - "rateyourmusic.com"
My Suggestion For a 80 minutes (app.) Best Of Compilation:
1. Cody Cody ( Parsons/Hillman/Leadon) Burrito Deluxe
2. The Angels Rejoined Last Night ( Louvin ) Sleepless Night
3. Sin City ( Parsons/Hillman ) Gilded Palace Of Sin
4. Christine's Tune ( Parsons/Hillman ) Gilded Palace Of Sin
5. Wild Horses ( Jagger/Richards ) Burrito Deluxe
6. Your Angel Steps Out ( Ripley ) Sleepless Nights
7. To Love Somebody ( Gibb/Gibb/Gibb ) Close Up the Honky Tonks
8. Dim Lights ( Adair ) Sleeples Nights
9. Do Right Woman ( Moman/Penn ) Gilded Palace Of Sin
10. Dark End Of The Street ( Oldham/Penn ) Gilded Palace Of Sin
11. Brand New Heartache ( Bryant/Bryant ) Sleepless Nights
12. Sing Me Back Home ( Haggard ) Sleepless Nights
13. Crazy Arms ( Seals/Mooney ) Sleepless Nights
14. White Line Fever ( Haggard ) Flying Burrito Brothers
15. Break My Mind ( Loudermilk ) Close Up the Honky Tonks
16. Juanita ( Parsons/Hillman ) Gilded Palace Of Sin
17. Hot Burrito # 1 ( Etbridge/Parsons ) Gilded Palace of Sin
18. Tried So Hard ( Clark ) Flying Burrito Brothers
19. To Ramona ( Dylan ) Flying Burrito Brothers
20. Here Tonight ( Clark ) Close Up the Honky Tonks
21. Sing Me Back Home ( Haggard ) Close Up the Honky Tonks
22. Colorado ( Roberts ) Flying Burrito Brothers
23. All Alone ( Hillman/Roberts ) Flying Burrito Brothers
24. The Train Song ( Hillman/Parsons ) 1969 single
25. Hand to Mouth ( Hillman/Roberts ) Flying Burrito Brothers
26. Just Can't Be ( Roberts/Hillman ) Flying Burrito Brothers
27. Six Days on the Road ( Green/Montgomery ) Honky Tonk Heaven
28. Why Are You Crying ( Roberts ) Flying Burrito Brothers
29. Farther Along ( Trad. ) Burrito Deluxe
30. Down in the Churchyard ( Parsons/Hillman) Burrito Deluxe
31. You Left the Water Running ( Penn/Hall/Franks) Flying Again
32. Building Fires ( Christopher/Penn/Hall/Dickinson) Flying Again
33. Waiting for Love to Begin ( Gilbeau/Kleinow) Airborne
34. Big Bayou ( Gilbeau ) Airborne
35. Quiet Man ( Prine ) Airborne
LINKS:
Byrd Watcher - Flying Burrito Brothers
Rolling Stome FBB Page