BYRDS: Fun in Frisco (CD)

We are told ....

CLASSIC 1968 BROADCAST BY POST GRAM PARSONS LINE-UP The Byrds performances across the weekend of the 1st and 2nd November 1968 at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco were performed at a time of great change and uncertainty for the band. Gram Parsons, who had joined a faltering line up in early 68, had departed prior to a disastrous tour of South Africa for which McGuinn notably had received much criticism.

The country rock album they had recorded with Gram, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, alienated many Byrds fans and equally attracted hostility from the traditional country music community. It remains their poorest performing record, despite its status in later years as the first proper country rock album.

Clarence White (Guitar) and Gene Parsons (Drums - no relation) were both brought in around this time, but then Chris Hillman quit! The Avalon show was the gig first performed by the line-up of McGuinn, White, Gene Parsons and new recruit John York on bass and harmony vocals (very apparent on this recording), who had only been a Byrd for about a week at the time of this show.