Chris Hillman

[Rick Schmidlin]

Never hear him mentioned much, how do do you rank him among mandolin players?~o)

[Miked]

I think Chris Hillman is a solid player. I've seen him play a couple times with Herb Pederson and I've really enjoyed their music. Granted, he's not on the level of a David Grisman, but Chris is a better vocalist. ;)

Chris will admit that he's not a fast, flashy mandolinist, but he's a tasteful player and he has a deep appreciation for roots music. I picked up "The Other Side" a couple months ago; excellent CD!

[billbailey]

Chris is a wonderfully talented guy with a super musical history and pedigree. I've talked with him several times on the phone and he sure is a peaceful and gracious guy.

The Byrds (Chris was an original member) and The Flying Burrito Brothers of the 1960s and 70s were really innovators. In many ways Chris and these groups teed up country rock.

http://mcbyrds.com/Hillman%2065.bmp

Thanks for reminding me of a great musician and a heck of a mandolin player.

Bill

www.thebaileystrap.com

[f5loar]

He was good enough on the mandoin for his friend Steve Stills to just give him a '24 signed Loar F5. Starting out in bluegrass music I think around age 14 he sure took a full circle in his music. From a little unknown mandolin picker to a member of the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame. Don't forget his dozen or so hits in Country music with the Desert Rose Band. No Chris Thile he's not but he can stand up against the best of them and has. Not too shabby on the electric bass either !

[journeybear]

And also the Souther-Hillman-Furay band - I love their song, "Border Town." (Whatever became of Richie Furay, for that matter? I thought he was the best singer in Buffalo Springfield, especially the way he sang Neil Young's songs.) The first rock show I ever saw The Byrds were the headliners, with three local bands opening, all in their matching outfits a la The Beatles (this was 1965). The Byrds came out wearing regular clothes, looking pretty much like they do on the cover of "Turn! Turn! Turn!" including Crosby in that odd poncho, and blew my mind. Some twenty years later at the very same venue I saw The Desert Rose Band open for Tanya Tucker - a very good show by both acts - but Chris only played mandolin on a couple of tunes. After the show I managed to talk to him briefly but he did not remember playing there with The Byrds. He's entitled to forget a bunch of stuff, as much as he's done, I reckon. ;)

Too bad he never played mandolin with The Byrds. Between him and McGuinn that would have been a lot of jingle-jangle! :mandosmiley: He did contibute a few very good songs to their repertoire also, like “Have You Seen Her Face" and “Time Between." More at his website (http://www.chrishillman.com/artist.html)including this gem of a factoid: The only authentic Cowboy to ever be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hillman spent his early years on his family’s ranch home in then rural North San Diego County “riding horses, and doing ranch chores”.

[Fiddler3]

I saw Chris with Herb at West Plains in July and he was really good, playing his Red Diamond that sounded like $$$$. Was lucky and Dean Webb of the Dillards was there and played a couple of songs. Chris is a true music pioneer in my mind and admits he's not the hot licks picker that some are but he sure can hold his own and not many 2 men acts can hold an audience like those two. Just a side note to journeybear, Richie Furay has his own website and I saw him in Colorado this summer with Poco. The only guy not there was Timothy B. and Denver George. Wow!

[Rick Schmidlin]

I saw Souther Hillman and Fury in New Jersery around 1973 or 74. They shared the bill with Maria Muldair and Seals and Croft. I remember Seals and Crofts with mandolins.

[Miked]

Manassas was a favorite of mine back in the '70s. Too bad it was short-lived. Chris and Herb do a nice version of So Begins the Task; great song!

[Dan Hoover]

when i think of chris hillman i always think of bernie leadon too..both,to me,very solid mandolin players...would love to hear those 2 together again...in my opinion,along with gram parsons,these guy's paved the way for a lot of the musicians out there now..

[John Goodin]

A new collection of unissued Manassas tracks apparently was released last month. It's called Pieces. I was just checking it out on Rhapsody and Chris is featured on mandolin on 4 tracks near the end of the CD. "
"Panhandle Rag"
"Uncle Pen"
"Do You Remember the Americans" (not the version that appeared on the not-so-good 2nd official Manassas record)
"Dim Lights, Thick Smoke..."

Every song has a really good break on mando and great fiddle playing (I'm assuming Byron Berline). There's an especially beautiful tremoloed, double-stop solo on "Dim Lights". The recorded sound is excellent, I suspect he's using the Loar that Stills gave him.

The album itself is pretty good. Not as good as 1st Manassas, much better (IMHO) than the 2nd. Chris sings lead on "Lies" and "Love and Satisfy". All told there's only a couple of minutes of mando but they are good minutes.

John G.

[allenhopkins]

And don't forget the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers (http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/6493989/a/Blue+Grass+Favorites.htm) -- 45+ years ago, doing Crown Junction Breakdown, Reuben's Train, etc.

Apparently, still available on import CD...

[mandocrucian]

Too bad he never played mandolin with The Byrds.

There were a few instances:

The Byrds THE NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS Draft Morning Hillman, Chris
The Byrds SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO Pretty Biy Floyd Hillman, Chris

NH

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm a fan, here (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/search.php?query=Hillman&exactname=0&starteronly=0&forumchoice%5B%5D=&prefixchoice%5B%5D=&childforums=1&titleonly=1&searchdate=0&beforeafter=after&do=process) are several threads that discuss Chris.

[TonyP]

Personally, the fact Chris plays down his mando playing has more to do with his humble demeanor than his lack of talent. Flash is not everything, good tone, inventive breaks, and playing what the song needs is more important to me that throwing in the kitchen sink. Chris has that in spades IMHO. I don't know if it's still available, but if you can find it, listen to "The Hillmen". I can't remember the title of the album, but that was the name of the band. It was a straight ahead bluegrass band with him doing all the mando work. I only heard it once. A good friend had an original copy of the record. I just remember being impressed.
I've had the great pleasure of talking to him a couple of times and was blown away that he was such a nice down to earth kinda guy. If ever there was a guy who could have a big head, it's him in my book. I wish more rockers, and musicians in general were as kind and genuine as Chris Hillman.

[woodwizard]

I'm a fan, here (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/search.php?query=Hillman&exactname=0&starteronly=0&forumchoice%5B%5D=&prefixchoice%5B%5D=&childforums=1&titleonly=1&searchdate=0&beforeafter=after&do=process) are several threads that discuss Chris.

I am a fan too! Great singer and picker that's for sure.

[allenhopkins]

...I don't know if it's still available, but if you can find it, listen to "The Hillmen". I can't remember the title of the album, but that was the name of the band. It was a straight ahead bluegrass band with him doing all the mando work. I only heard it once. A good friend had an original copy of the record. I just remember being impressed.

This video has a soundtrack from the Hillmen album, Dylan's When the Ship Comes In.



Rev-Ola Records (http://www.cherryred.co.uk/revola/artists/hillmen.htm) says the Hillmen album (Chris Hillman, Don Parmley, Vern Gosdin, Ray Gosdin) is still available, but "temporarily out of stock." I have the LP, and it's a good example of younger '60's musicians who loved the traditional bluegrass sound, but wanted to add a "folk" repertoire. You can hear the same kind of thing in '60's Country Gentlemen, and even in Flatt & Scruggs albums like Nashville Airplane when Earl was influenced by his sons Gary and Randy, and the producers thought the "folk" songs written by Dylan et. al. would sell. Lester's negative reaction to these ideas is pretty well documented! Sometimes it worked, often it didn't, and it was probably better when the younger pickers went off to form bands like the Byrds, Youngbloods, Earth Opera, Dillard & Clark Expedition, Lovin' Spoonful etc. -- trying to blend folk, bluegrass, jug band etc. with rock. Not that that always worked, either...

[journeybear]

There were a few instances:

The Byrds THE NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS Draft Morning Hillman, Chris
The Byrds SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO Pretty Boy Floyd Hillman, Chris

NH

Hmmm ... OK, good to know. I was thinking of the original Byrds, but yes, this is indeed good to know.


... Richie Furay has his own website and I saw him in Colorado this summer with Poco. The only guy not there was Timothy B. and Denver George. Wow!

Also good to know. A good feeling to know, actually. ;) I saw Poco way back when, on the tour that produced "Deliverin'," and believe me they were. Probably in the top ten shows I've seen - solid, rockin', just great all aound from everyone.

[mandozilla]

I'm lucky to live close to a pizza joint where a pick up band called the Grateful Dudes (same fiddle player, Dennis Fetchett and bass player, Bill Bryson) has played for I think 16 years every Saturday night. :grin:

Herb Pederson plays b***o and guitar quite often and occassionaly Chris Hillman picks with them...mandolin and/or guitar. I've seen Chris up close and personal several times in the past couple of years. He's a pretty good song writer to boot. Oh, and once in a while Leroy Mack of Kentucky Colonels renown plays as well. It's pretty cool. :cool:

Allen I have that "Scottsville Squirrel Barkers" LP some damn place and that Hillmen recording is available on CD. They were pretty tight with the Gosdin Bros, Vern and Rex as well as one of my favorite b**jo pickers, Don Parmley of Bluegrass Cardinals fame. ;)

~o):mandosmiley:

[djeffcoat]

Chris is a wonderfully talented guy with a super musical history and pedigree. I've talked with him several times on the phone and he sure is a peaceful and gracious guy.

The Byrds (Chris was an original member) and The Flying Burrito Brothers of the 1960s and 70s were really innovators. In many ways Chris and these groups teed up country rock.

http://mcbyrds.com/Hillman%2065.bmp

Thanks for reminding me of a great musician and a heck of a mandolin player.

Bill

www.thebaileystrap.com

I have to agree that Hillman is a talented musician with a lot of experience. I would like to see his collection of mandolins. I have seen various pictures of him playing the Gibson Loar, a Collings F, a Red Diamond and a Dudenbostel.

DJ

[chip]

I had the pleasure of buying my 2002 Gibson MMF5-V from Chris. He's a super guy. Called me back a couple of times in regard to some questions that I had and even placed my wife's name on their prayer list at his house of worship. It was quite an experience for me personally as the Byrds, Souther-Hillman, Desert Rose were always on the top of my list for music. I had been in the record business for many years and what a thrill it was to actually buy his mandolin and have him call the house...not really cheap thrills as the mandolin was expensive:))
Ya just never know what life is going to bring to the table...

[H.P.]

Any group Chris was ever in was better because of his presence.

[AW Meyer]

Chris Hillman & Herb Pederson on Woodsongs # 455:
http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp

[journeybear]

When I was living in Boulder in 1978 The music store downtown had for sale a Gibson A model with f holes they claimed had belonged to Chris Hillman. It was just a few hundred dollars - which was a few hundred dollars more than I could afford at the time ; - and I was pretty happy with my F-12, but it was tempting ...

[mtucker]

For me, and maybe for other boomers ... in a good way .. this part of the scene in Cali in the late 60's early 70's sort of mashes together with the Birds, Eagles, Poco, Burrito Bros, CSN&Y, Leadon, JD Souther, Timothy B, Parsons and others .. Hillman was very much a part of that .. now where did I put those ...? :grin:
;)

[Rick Schmidlin]

For me, and maybe for other boomers ... in a good way .. this part of the scene in Cali in the late 60's early 70's sort of mashes together with the Birds, Eagles, Poco, Burrito Bros, CSN&Y, Leadon, JD Souther, Timothy B, Parsons and others .. Hillman was very much a part of that .. now where did I put those ...? :grin:
;)


In the day known as the "California Mafia," who rehearsed alot in the Alley on Lankersheim in The Valley, also with Jackson Brown and Little Feat.

This group inspired the L.A. Punk Revolt and then came The Long Riders into our scene.

[Fiddler3]

Probably the 3 albums that really influenced me musically were Hillman influenced...Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Last of the Red-Hot Burritos, and Return of the Grievous Angel. He is truly deserving of all these accolades.

[mtucker]

who rehearsed alot in the Alley on Lankersheim in The Valley, also with Jackson Brown

Yes, Laurel Canyon was peace and love.