Chris Hillman

Bassist, singer, and mandolin player Chris Hillman began his career playing folk and bluegrass in his native Southern California, before joining the Byrds as their bassist in 1964. The jangle-pop sound of the Byrds helped usher in the folk-rock era with songs like their cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Eight Miles High.” When the Byrds changed personnel and a young Gram Parsons joined the lineup, the band’s sound veered toward country; their 1968 masterpiece, SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO, laid the foundation for country rock. Hillman’s mandolin and harmony singing contributed greatly to the sound as they did for the Flying Burrito Brothers, the band he formed with Parsons after the Byrds disbanded. After cutting four albums with the Flying Burrito Brothers (including the country-rock classic THE GILDED PALACE OF SIN), Hillman went on to play in several bands through the ‘70s and ‘80s, including, most notably, the Desert Rose Band. During this time Hillman also released several solo albums, mostly in a country vein, including SLIPPIN’ AWAY and MORNING SKY.