NASHVILLE WEST (ft. Clarence White) - "Mental Revenge" - 1967

Nashville West included: Clarence White (Byrds), Gene Parsons, Gib Guibeau and Wayne Moore.
This is from the 1967, self-titled, album.

There are a few records that can be considered birthplaces of what has become known as "country-rock." Two Gene Clark albums, Echoes and Fantastic Expedition, come to mind, as well as the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo and the International Submarine Band's debut. Add to that list -- and put it high up there -- Nashville West, a self-titled debut by a group that consisted of Gib Guilbeau, Wayne Moss, and two future Byrds, Gene Parsons and the great Clarence White, and it's White's awesome guitar work that puts this album in a legendary context. Aside from the revolutionary playing by White, the group has a forceful yet laid-back groove that, if you like it on the first cut, "Nashville West," will have you digging the whole record. Parsons' drumming has a slightly soulful edge, which predates the Flying Burrito Brothers' experiments by several years. One of the best cuts on the album is a cover of "Ode to Billy Joe," which has White and Parsons laying into a groove that is indescribably delicious. Ignoring the historical value of this CD, the whole record is a hell of a lot of fun.
Vocally, not really what you'd call a masterpiece, but it doesn't matter -- Nashville West is a record that should be owned by any fan of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Dillard & Clark, and country music as a genre. Brilliant. ~ Matthew Greenwald

Category:

Music

Tags:

• gram
• parsons
• flying
• burrito
• brothers
• bros
• sin
• city
• hot
• byrds
• gene
• clark
• country
• rock
• sweetheart
• of
• the
• rodeo
• chris
• hillmen
• crosby
• still
• nash
• neil
• yourn
• nashville
• west
• bluegrass
• guitar
• legends
• sing
• me
• back
• home
• green
• grass
• kentucky
• colonels
• merle
• haggard
• waylon
• jenning
• mental
• revenge
• hickory
• wind
• emmylou
• harris

[TJColatrella]

A guitar lesson for us all...no matter how good or long a player...!

[naxi55500555]

Telecaster genius ..

[southernbelle816]

Why did this song have to endddddd. Clarence you are GOD.

[acadx]

@NickRatnieks you mention burton and hardin on grams albums, think about it they played with rick nelson elvis and gram as well as some others but man were those guys great!!! nice comment so i guess i should also mention clarence he was so innovative, his influence is still being felt today, and many were influence and dont even know it

[surfstrat59]

Guitarists- bow to your master! RIP, brother........

[henrynevins]

Clarence's playing and his bender's own unique voice is a sound that if you were blind folded and not told anything about the players or band could easily identify it as CW playing lead. Look up Marty Stuart playing "Humming Byrd" on Clarence's bender, and though Clarence's noticeable picking style is missing, the Tele-bender's voice is still uniquely CW. Clarence White, a humble, modest, perfectionist guitar genius. His fate was severely unfair, still hard to accept.

[DslimHarris]

Amazing playing! A longtime favorite!

[floydyopz]

sWeEt!!

[NickRatnieks]

Clarence played on Gene Clark's first solo album- Echoes. I think it only fair to add Rick Nelson to your list. His ground-breaking LA country albums- Bright Lights and Country Music (1966) and Country Fever (1967) featured amazing playing by James Burton- especially on dobro and had Glen D Hardin on piano and Clarence White on guitar- and a whole load of other great players. It was interesting that Gram Parsons used Burton and Hardin on both his solo albums.