1960s rock blazed a number of new trails, but it’s not an exaggeration to say that members of the Byrds often flew ahead of the crowd. November marks the birthdays of two Byrds pioneers, Gene Clark and Gram Parsons, whose music will be celebrated in a performance packed with local notables at the White Horse Black Mountain on Sunday, November 24 at 7:30 pm.
As members of The Byrds, Clark and Parsons helped define the shape of popular music, and were among the first to embrace country and bluegrass elements in a rock context. A key songwriter and dynamic force in the early Byrds, Gene Clark was central in establishing the group’s iconic folk rock sound before leaving in 1966. While he never enjoyed the same success as a solo artist he remained creatively restless, founding the progressive bluegrass act Dillard and Clark, continuing to write and record. Gram Parsons put his country rock stamp on The Byrds with the landmark album Sweetheart of the Rodeo before launching a brief but meteoric solo career. He created seminal country rock with The International Submarine Band and The Flying Burrito Brothers, and his duet work with Emmylou Harris is legendary. The music of Clark and Parsons continues to influence musicians today.
Paying musical tribute to these two visionary troubadours will be a full slate of local favorites, including Amanda Platt, CaroMia, Dan Johnston, Emmalee Hunnicutt, Kate McNalley, Jon Ammons, Maggie & Her Mistakes, The Moon and You, Morgan Geer, Noel Sumrall, Owen Scott Gibbs, members of Buncombe Turnpike, The Sons of Ralph, Southbound Turnaround, State Hospital Wilderness and more.
Show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $12. Advance purchase online at whitehorseblackmountain.com.