The Byrds decided to radically switch things up with their music by producing Sweetheart Of The Rodeo in 1968. It’s a classic album, and it also changed the world of progressive country music forever.
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Released by Columbia Records, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo marked a notable departure from The Byrds’ previous work. It came just months after the release of The Notorious Byrd Brothers, a particularly psychedelic venture into rock and pop music. However, Sweetheart wasn’t an entirely new thing. The band had worked with country as a medium in previous albums. Sweetheart, rather, was the band’s first full immersion into country music.
The album was a big deal for the newly added band member, Gram Parsons. Parsons would go on to become one of the most influential figures in country rock, and his pioneering contributions to the genre are still influencing artists in the genre today.
So what was it about Sweetheart Of The Rodeo that made it such a groundbreaking album? To start, it put Gram Parsons in the mainstream rock headlights. It marked one of the most important moments of his career. Just as well, Sweetheart made country music much more appealing to a younger audience.
The Influence of ‘Sweetheart Of The Rodeo’
Just as well, the session musicians employed for this album were beautifully curated. Big names like Lloyd Green, JayDee Maness, Clarence White, and John Hartford made the record even better.
It’s worth noting that there was some tension between the actual band members and the somewhat controlling Parsons. He and guitarist and frontman Roger McGuinn butted heads often. Things got so bad that by the time the album was released, Parsons had called it quits with The Byrds.
Regardless of which side you take, The Byrds were massively influential figures at an interesting time in popular music. They were known for pop and rock, and their move toward country music had angered many traditional, conservative Nashville country figures.
The album was a well-received hit upon its release. Critics praised the band for putting out a country album, yet still maintaining their signature sound. But even though it was a critically acclaimed work, many of The Byrds’ countercultural fans felt alienated by the genre change, resulting in the band’s lowest sales up to that point.
Today, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo gets a lot more respect where it’s due. No mainstream band had leaped into a sound change as radically as The Byrds did with this album, and progressive country and country-rock bands today are still influenced by that very album. We probably wouldn’t have outfits like Eagles or America if it weren’t for this golden little record.
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