The Byrds' sixth studio album Sweetheart of the Rodeo was released in 1968. It was the Byrds' only album with country-rock pioneer Gram Parsons, who was part of the band for a short stint before being fired by McGuinn prior to the album's release. However, he significantly influenced the band's direction on the album as Roger McGuinn had originally planned to make a double album documenting the history of American music. Instead, Parsons persuaded the band to record a mix of rock and country music in Nashville. The album thus became what is now widely recognized as the first country-rock album. After leaving the band, Parsons formed the Flying Burrito Brothers (whose short discography we will cover next) and asked the Byrds' bassist Chris Hillman to be a part of the band. With Hillman accepting the offer, Sweetheart of the Rodeo also became the last Byrds' album to include Hillman and left McGuinn as the only original member of the Byrds for their next album Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde.
Continuing in the footsteps of The Notorious Byrd Brothers, this is a wonderfully recorded album from the banjo and fiddle on "I Am a Pilgrim" to the piano and pedal steel guitar on "You're Still on My Mind." Reverence for the genre and the country standards they cover exudes from the band, particularly Gram Parsons, who steals the show. Although Parsons sings lead on only three songs, the two originals he contributes are among the best songs the Byrds have ever recorded--the achingly beautiful "Hickory Wind" may, in fact, be my favorite Byrds song (is that cheating?)--and his vocal performances outshine McGuinn and Hillman, who are currently on the top of their game. If Gram sang the majority of the songs, it'd be as good as The Notorious Byrd Brothers. A-
