The Gentrification Of A Rock n’ Roll Band - “The Rides” Stephen Stills, Barry Goldberg & Kenny Wayne Shepard, storied icons of The Golden Age ( 1967 - 1977 ) and youthful virtuoso Kenny Wayne Shepard have spewed the decalogue of traditional “blues” on the recent tour of this cultural touchstone. The tacit sound resonates in the varied venues of their first tour & the impact has left an indelible impact for those aware of the varied icons of this neoteric collaboration. The vast majority of musical carnage of the last few decades is soon forgotten as the minds drift back to the glory days of Buffalo Springfield, CSN, Electric Flag and culminated with the dexterity and presence of Kenny Wayne. The freshly written tunes are a collective pastiche and justifiably so considering the storied past of Stills & Goldberg. A noted song writer, Stills is often overlooked with his precision as a player, somewhat adrift in the pantheons of musical history, trapped between “paradox” and “paradigm”. The vast disparity in age is not germane to their collective efforts and the timbre of what they have accomplished still resonates in the sixteen venues of this abbreviated tour. This is a band that could become the archetypal nexus of both storied past & the distant future. These are the Dionysian warriors of today’s music, a universal symbol that could restore credibility to a genre in dire need of an infusion. When the last couplet is penned within the realm of contemporary popular music, that daunting challenge may easily fall into the parables of Stephen, Barry & Kenny Wayne. These are performances that allow baby boomers to mingle with the aristocracy of their youth and generate hope for a return from the ashes of The Woodstock Nation & “The Blues” as it should have been all these years. The two hour set is a cacophony of structured lyrics, a trait acquired along the way of musical history. When one leaves a performance feeling as if they owe money, the proof remains in the proverbial pudding. The Woven Tapestry Of Musical Icons... The pervasive work of Chris Hillman is vastly underrated although somewhat acknowledged but the impending performance @ Fur Peace Ranch in April brings thoughts about the peripheries of grandeur. A noted musician long before his involvement with The Byrds, the lyrical aspect was simply a non-factor during the brief impact of one of this country’s most influential bands. Souther, Hillman & Furay, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Desert Rose Band and more, a verification of work ethic from Folk Rock to Pop/Country. When The Byrds began their musical journey known as The Beefeaters, the folk music influence was an obvious trait. They were coffee house troubadours amidst the Los Angeles club scene, a whirlwind moment in time with the Paisley Army of The Strip and later during the storied days in Laurel Canyon. The restless eclecticism would pave the way for Chris Hillman to exercise his massive talent and explore the redolence of Country Music. Sweethearts Of The Rodeo would forever define the movement that led to the embryonic days of Poco, The Eagles & others of note. During an interview, Hillman once stated that “The Byrds founded Country Rock, Burrito Brothers refined it & The Eagles took it to the bank”. Through the most current years, along with Herb Pedersen, he has become a rallying point for the unification of folk, country and a tinge of psychedelia. Both Chris & Herb are 69 years old and the time has arrived for them to be recognized in reference to what they have accomplished during the last fifty years on the musical trail. The Hall of Fame with The Byrds is merely a asterisk in a storied life of one of America’s most noted crooners, writers and musicians & appreciation of what both have done needs to be quantified & clarified. Acoustic Desert Rose is a gift, treasured moments with John Jorgenson, Herb Pedersen and Chris Hillman. Another day in “The Land of Oz”, also known as Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio, April, 2014.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 16:47:39 +0000
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