On this day (June 6) in 1944, Byron Berline was born in Caldwell, Kansas. He was a fiddle prodigy who became a member of Bill Monroe’s backing band after earning a teaching degree. Later, he played with the Rolling Stones and became a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers. He also mentored several musicians, including Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs, early in their careers. Additionally, Berline and his music appeared in multiple films and TV shows.
Raised in a musical family, Berline started playing fiddle at the age of five and picked it up quickly. While he made some early recordings, he wasn’t betting his future on being a musician. Instead, he attended the University of Oklahoma and earned a teaching degree in physical education. However, his musical career took off after he finished college.
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In 1965, he recorded with the Dillards on their album Pickin’ and Fiddlin’. Then, later that year, he met Bill Monroe at the Newport Folk Festival. Monroe offered him a spot in the Bluegrass Boys, but Berline declined. He had already planned on going to college. In 1967, after graduating, he accepted Monroe’s invitation. Unfortunately, he was drafted six months after joining the band, according to the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
Byron Berline Played with Country and Rock Legends
Byron Berline was discharged from the Army after two years of service and moved to Southern California. That year, he joined Dillard & Clark on Through the Morning, Through the Night. He also recorded “Country Honk” with the Rolling Stones for their album Let It Bleed.
His work with Dillard & Clark put Berline in California’s growing country rock scene. As a result, he joined The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1971. He performed on their first live album, Last of the Red Hot Burritos (1972) and Live in Amsterdam (1972).
Berline also played fiddle on the 1972 self-titled debut album from Stephen Stills’ band Manassas. Stills was also a member of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, & Nash (and sometimes Young).
Berline also recorded with a long list of country artists, including Vince Gill, Doc Watson, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette, Joe Diffie, and Mickey Gilley.
Solo and Film Work
After working within the country rock world, Byron Berline embarked on his solo career. First, he recruited Alan Munde, Kenny Wertz, and Roger Bush to form Country Gazette. He recorded three albums with them between 1972 and 1975, when he left the group.
Then, he joined Dan Crary and John Hickman to form Byron Berline and Sundance. Their self-titled debut album, which featured Vince Gill on mandolin, was released in 1976. The trio would come together again in 1981 as Berline, Crary, and Hickman. Later, Steve Spurgin and John Moore joined the band, and it became California. The group won Instrumental Group of the Year at the IBMA Awards three times between 1992 and 1994.
Berline went on to record several albums with the Byron Berline Band, which formed during jam sessions at his Guthrie, Oklahoma, music store called Double Stop.
Berline and his music appeared in several films and TV shows over the years. Notably, he portrayed a fiddle-playing officer in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also appeared in The Rose (1979), which starred Bette Midler, and Basic Instinct (1992), per IMDb.
Byron Berline died in 2021 after suffering a stroke at the age of 77.
Featured Image by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns