The Byrds facts: Members, songs, albums, break-ups and reunions of the folk rock superstars

9 September 2024, 13:45

From folk rock superstars to crossover country legends.

Few bands can say that they played a crucial role in helping to create a new genre of music, but The Byrds can make a fair argument for having done it twice or three times over.

They were leaders in the folk-rock and psychedelic eras before some lineup changes helped them become major players in the country rock revolution, too.

• 'Mr Tambourine Man' by The Byrds: The making of the folk-rock masterpiece
• The Byrds' 10 greatest songs ever, ranked
• Listen to the Gold 60s Live Playlist on Global Player, the official Gold app

But do you know all the members of The Byrds in their various incarnations?

Do you know when (and why?) they split up, and what happened when the original lineup finally got back together?

Read on for all the fast facts you ever might need about The Byrds.

When did The Byrds form and who was in their original lineup?

The Byrds formed in Los Angeles in 1964, with all five of the original members having been active on the music scene before they hooked up.

Jim McGinn (who changed his name to Roger in 1967), formed a Beatles-inspired duo with Gene Clark. They were soon joined by David Crosby and became a trio called The Jet Set.

Crosby brought along Jim Dickson as manager and the three men holed up in World Pacific Studios to work on their sound, with these formative sessions later surfacing on various compilations.

Drummer Michael Clarke was then drafted into the group, still then called The Jet Set.

Recordings of 'Please Let Me Love You' and 'Don't Be Long' by McGuinn, Clark, and Crosby rounded out by session players Ray Pohlman (bass) and Earl Palmer (drums) were released under the name The Beefeaters. It didn't chart.

Around the time of that release, Chris Hillman joined The Jet Set on bass. The full original five were now together, and a month later they renamed themselves The Byrds.

What was the relationship between The Byrds and Bob Dylan?

The Byrds' earliest influences were the collegiate folk scene in the US and the British Invasion vibe of The Beatles, but the one artist who is truly inseparable from them is Bob Dylan.

Bob himself was already inching towards a fusion of folk and poppier sounds when an unreleased acetate of 'Mr Tambourine Man' found its way to The Byrds' manager Jim Dickson in August 1964.

He decided that it would be the perfect song for the band to cover, and they did just that, rearranging it from its folky 2/4 time signature to a more rocky 4/4.

The cover even had Dylan's blessing. "Wow, man! You can dance to that!" he said on hearing the rehearsals of what would eventually become the band's debut single.

The Byrds + Bob Dylan - Turn Turn Turn + Mr Tambourine Man 2/24/90 HIGH QUALITY STEREO

The Byrds-Dylan links didn't end there. Just before they released their debut single, Bob rocked up the Ciro's Le Disc nightclub on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood where The Byrds were playing a residency.

He joined the group on stage for a performance of Jimmy Reed's 'Baby What You Want Me to Do' and, being one of the biggest stars in the world at the time, grabbed them plenty of attention.

After that significant helping hand, Dylan continued to be a touchstone for The Byrds throughout their entire career.

They would continue to record Dylan's songs as singles and album tracks, usually putting their folk-rock spin on things.

You can listen to a whopping 20 (TWENTY) Bob Dylan songs covered by The Byrds on the 2002 version of The Byrds Play Dylan compilation.

Is it true that The Byrds didn't play on their debut album?

The Byrds - I Knew I'd Want You (Audio)

Back in the early 1960s, it wasn't uncommon for bands to enlist some help from session musicians on their recordings.

We're not just talking about out-and-out bubblegum pop acts or even pre-fab groups like The Monkees. "Proper" guitar bands weren't averse to getting more seasoned studio players to get things done right and quickly when budget was an issue.

Despite their live experience, when it came to The Byrds' launch single 'Mr Tambourine Man', producer Terry Melcher wasn't convinced that the fivesome had been together long enough to develop the tight studio chops needed for a hassle-free session.

McGuinn, Crosby and Clark sang those gorgeous melodies themselves, and McGuinn did play guitar, but the rest of the instrumentation came from LA session superstars The Wrecking Crew.

The same was true of the song's B-side 'I Knew I'd Want You', even though it was written by Clarke.

But it's a myth that the band didn't play on the rest of the album. By the time they got down to the proper sessions for the Mr Tambourine Man album, Melcher was happy that the band had gelled enough to play together in the studio.

Who left – and joined – the later lineups of The Byrds, and when did the original five members get back together?

The Byrds - Eight Miles High (Audio)

With so much big talent (and accompanying ego) in The Byrds' original lineup, it's perhaps no surprise that they couldn't stick together for too long.

They moved from folk rock to psychedelia with songs like 'Eight Miles High', but just before that single was released in February 1966 Gene Clark quit the band, suffering from stress, anxiety, inter-band issues and a debilitating fear of flying.

The remaining four Byrds completed the Fifth Dimension and recorded the follow-up Younger Than Yesterday.

1968's The Notorious Byrd Brothers saw the firing of David Crosby, who was briefly replaced by a returning Gene Clark, who came back for a few weeks. Crosby went on to form Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young).

Drummer Michael Clarke left the group during the sessions, with some tracks featuring session men Hal Blaine or Jim Gordon.

The Byrds - Goin' Back (Audio)

Follow-up Sweetheart of the Rodeo saw the recruitment of Gram Parsons, which helped the creation of a landmark in country rock. Meanwhile, Hillman's cousin Kevin Kelley joined on drums.

By the time the group recorded their ninth album Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde, there had been yet more changes. As well as the departures of recent newcomers Kelley and Parsons, out went Hillman too.

Replacing them were guitarist Clarence White, bass player John York and drummer Gene Parsons (no relation to Gram Parsons. Or Gene Clark for that matter), with just McGuinn as the sole remaining founding member.

This lineup stuck together for 1969's The Ballad of Easy Rider, but for 1970's (Untitled) and the following year's Byrdmaniax, and Father Along bassist York was out and Skip Battin was in.

Meanwhile, Hillman and Gram Parsons played in The Flying Burrito Brothers.

Full Circle

In 1973, the original lineup of Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke reunited. Both the original and last lineups of the Byrds toured concurrently, while the founding members cobbled together a new studio album Byrds.

Sadly, a mix of rushed sessions, egos and members holding back their best material for their own projects meant the long-awaited comeback fizzled out somewhat, putting an end to all versions of The Byrds for some time.

There were various combinations of ex-Byrds (and combinations of Byrds billed as 'A Tribute to the Byrds') over the years, as well as McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman touring in 1989 as The Byrds, with various trademark disputes flying in all directions.

Before then, ex-Byrds Skip Battin and Gene Parsons had joined The Flying Burrito Brothers, but only after the departure of Hillman and Parsons from that band.

The Byrds Perform "Mr. Tambourine Man" at the 1991 Inductions

And in 1991 at The Byrds' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, differences were put aside as all five original members reunited once more to perform 'Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season)', 'Mr. Tambourine Man', and 'I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better'.

Clark died later that year of heart failure, with Clarke passing away two years after that from liver disease, which meant the end of the original Byrds lineup.

McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman did play impromptu versions of 'Mr. Tambourine Man" and 'Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season)' at a benefit show for Westwood Music owner Fred Walecki in 2000. Crosby died in 2023.

What were The Byrds' biggest songs?

The Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" on The Ed Sullivan Show

Whether it was traditional folk songs, Bob Dylan covers, or their own material, The Byrds had a stunning discography packed with classic songs.

Their biggest and best tracks included:

• Mr. Tambourine Man
• I Knew I'd Want You
• All I Really Want To Do
• Turn! Turn! Turn!
• Chimes of Freedom
• The Bells of Rhymney
• Eight Miles High
• 5D Fifth Dimension
• Mr Spaceman
• So You Want to be a Rock 'n' Roll Star
• My Back Pages
• Goin' Back
• You Ain't Goin Nowhere
• Bad Night at the Whiskey
• Lay Lady Lay
• Wasn't Born to Follow
• Ballad of East Rider
• It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
• Chestnut Mare
• Farther Along
• Full Circle