The Byrds "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" « Cool Album of the Day

Posted 21 Jul 2010 in 60s, Albums of 1968, Albums of the 60s, Americana, Bluegrass, Country, Country Rock, Folk, Folk Rock, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Singer / Songwriter

Today’s Cool Album of the Day is the 1968 release by The Byrds, Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

Quite simply, a masterpiece. Was it the first country rock album? That’s debatable.

There has been so much written and discussed about this music that I’m not even going to try and invent an original idea.

Just listen to the music. I’d have loved to have heard Roger McGuinn and Gram Parsons stay together longer. But then Gram might not have gone on to to record two other great pieces of music (Gram Parsons and GP). And maybe he wouldn’t have gone on to discover (along with Chris Hillman) EmmyLou Harris.

The Byrds were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991

Some of the classic songs here are Bob Dylan’s ‘You Aint Goin’ Nowhere, You’re Still On My Mind.’ Woodie Guthrie’s ‘Pretty Boy Floyd,’ and of course, GP’s ‘Hickory Wind.’