Wed 5/26 @ 7-9PM
Chris Hillman was just 20 when he became one of the founding members of the hugely influential Byrds in 1965, performing on such hits as their transformed versions of Pete Seeger’s “Turn! Turn! Turn!,” and Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “My Back Pages,” as well as their own “Eight Miles High” and “So You Want to Be a Rock ’n’ Roll Star,” the latter of which Hillman co-wrote.
Later he cemented his role in the development of country-influenced rock, playing with Gram Parsons in the Flying Burrito Brothers, joining Steve Stills in Manassas and playing with country rockers The Desert Rose Band. He’s played with too many musicians over the years to list, and released half a dozen solo albums. Hs Tom Petty-produced Bidin’ My Time in 2017 was his first in 12 years.
Late last year, he published a book about his eventful years 56 years as a musician in groundbreaking projects called Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother, and Beyond. He’ll be talking about it with the Rock Hall Senior Director of Museum & Archival Collections Andy Leach in a program presented by the Rock Hall.
Following the discussion, he’ll be joined by Marty Stuart, who performed 2018 with Hillman and Roger McQuinn on a 2018 tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo album. Stuart has quite a story of his own: he dropped out of school to join Lester Flatt’s band at age 12, played with Johnny Cash for six years, and in 1997, married former country star Connie Smith whom he’d first met in 1970 when he was 11 and she was 28, when she performed in his hometown.
Go here to register for the virtual program.
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