Hickory Wind - Roger McGuinn - Glen Allen VA

I was surprised to have this one; a song that I love. It dropped off Emmylou's set list this year so it was nice to hear it played well. The song was played in Charlottesville by The Byrds - Gram Parsons version - way back when and I wish my memory of that night was clearer.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roger
• McGuinn
• Gram
• Parsons
• Byrds
• Hickory
• Wind

[ladivina79]

I'm the biggest Gram Parsons fan around, and I think it's sweet for him to do this. Remember how young they were when they cut 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' . . . a lot of time has passed since then. Good on you, Roger, for paying tribute to Gram and not trashing him like others have done.

[dfournet42]

I can't believe McGuinn had the nerve to play this song and not even do it justice. Further evidence that Gram should have had the lead on all the songs on Sweetheart...

[galgalrobas]

@dfournet42

You might say this with good intentions... but you are just looking for trouble where there are none.

This is one of the two songs that Gram sang on the "Sweetheart"and listening to what Roger says, you see that all things have passed, he's paying tribute to Gram, and we should all acknowledge him for it instead of putting him down.... Roger is a great troubadour and that's what he lives for... keeping good songs alive.

[pbrick6301]

Agreed. Why doesnt Roger McGuinn tell the story to all these fans about how he mixed Parsons vocals down or out of all the songs on Sweetheart of the Rodeo?

[tfmuch]

YouTube is waiting.

[jerrywscott]

That's what I mean. Their Rodeo album version is the standard. I also like Emmylou Harris' version both solo and with Parsons. Chris Hillman makes a good stab at it but he also falls short. I am not pleased with what Keith Richards did to it, forgetting some of the lines. Many varied and sundry singers have tried to record this song including the bluegrass band Country Gentlemen back in the 70s. My local band in NC is called Hickory Wind and I sing it every time we play.

[tfmuch]

... but McGuinn can never resist a chance to name-drop. The best thing for me on the studio version are the beautiful harmonies on the chorus. He gets nowhere near.

[jerrywscott]

For God's sake what a travesty...McGuinn should forget using this song, He can't sing it as well as half the wanabes on Youtube. It hurts my ears..and to think he made so many other great songs. And, the truth is he hated Gram Parsons..

[Byrds1967]

It's cool they let you record it. The establishment in CA said we couldn't video or take pictures. Nice performance.

[bombay26]

Thanks for that. I was wishing I'd videod this one in Golden.