Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've been listening to Sweetheart of the Rodeo today, and I have a couple of questions. Does anyone know who sings the prominent background vocal on Hickory Wind? It doesn't really sound like any of the other Byrds to me. Also, is it true that there's a Rickenbacker electric banjo on this album somewhere?

Thats a goood question..they did all sorts or things with the vocals on that album...whether due to Gram Parsons contractual issues or McGuinns desire not to let a contractor dominate the album or whatever...my *guess" is that its either Chris Hillman or perhaps Gram double tracked and harmonizing with himself....the liner notes are also not all inclusive...allegedly James Burton is in there somewhere on the album but not credited. "Pretty Polly" might be the candidate for a Ric banjo, but I'm not sure and havent listened to it all that closely.

As an aside, there is a recording of a show from the Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Clarence White,Sneaky Pete, etc tour just before Clarence died, where he does a great stringbender version of the pedal steel on Hickory Wind....its a cruddy recording..sounds like it was done with a cassette player on someone's lap but interesting from a historical standpoint.

Ah, thanks Don. The Byrds had so many great singers in their ranks, it never occurred to me to think that Gram might have harmonized with himself. Although it's in a register I don't normally associate with Gram, now that you mention it, it does sound like him. I'll have to look up that show!

http://rapidshare.com/files/78941238/fa ... y_1973.zip


Gram Parsons live at the Tower Theatre, June 1973 w/Clarence White, Emmylou Harris, and Country Gazette w/Sneaky Pete on steel and Byron Berline on fiddle.

01. DEVIL IN DISGUISE
02. TRIED SO HARD
03. WE'LL SWEEP OUT THE ASHES
04. STREETS OF BALTIMORE
05. HICKORY WIND
06. COUNTRY BAPTIZING
07. LOVE HURTS
08. HOT BURRITO # 2
09. SIX DAYS ON THE ROAD
10. SIN CITY
11. WHEELS

Gram Parsons did some harmony aon the Byrds "Untitled" LP and the Stones "Exile on Main Street" that was not unlike the Hickory wind harmony. Ibet whatever actual happened is lost in the midst of time tho...

It's a real shame that these and other performances were so poorly recorded. What if we knew then what we know now? Someone, somewhere must have a high quality audio or video of one these. A sound guy or the like. There were some pretty good ones here:
http://www.sugarmegs.org/ - but he's been shut down.
The "Gram Parsons /Fallen Angels Live 1973" radio show in Long Island is the best avaialable example. If only there were a decent video...