Clarence White: "Melodies From A Byrd In Flyte 1963-1973" (2025) Vinyl Review

It's that special time of year again, friends. Days are getting warmer. Baseball season is in swing. And we have our wish lists for Record Store Day written out and ready to go. There are some excellent selections this time around, including Melodies From A Byrd In Flyte 1963-1973, a collection of great tracks from Clarence White, known for his work in The Kentucky Colonels and The Byrds. This record includes early bluegrass songs, as well as tracks from his time with The Byrds. These are mostly instrumental numbers. The first side features Clarence White on acoustic guitar, the second side on electric guitar. On each side, the songs are arranged in chronological order. The album includes liner notes by John Delgatto, and is presented on clear white vinyl. It was previously available on CD and digitally as The Lost Masters 1963-1973, released in 2023.

Side A

This collection begins, as you'd expect, in the bluegrass realm, with an Eric Weissberg tune, "No Title Yet Blues," a song that would be included on the 1963 record New Dimensions In Banjo And Bluegrass by Eric Weissberg, Marshall Brickman & Company. Clarence White was part of the "Company," along with Gordon Terry on fiddle. The version included here is from a March 1963 rehearsal for that album. This isn't one of those fast-paced bluegrass numbers, but rather a more thoughtful piece. But still, there is some strong playing, particularly by Eric Weissberg on banjo and by Clarence White on guitar. That's followed by a faster-paced guitar instrumental, "Fire On The Mountain," with Clarence White joined by Roger Bush on rhythm guitar. This contains some impressive and very cool playing. It is listed as a "Guitar Instruction" on the record jacket, and it's clear he has a lot to teach us.

"(Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I" is a sweet number, with a nice, easygoing vibe that makes me think of players on a porch or in someone's back yard, picking away as the day passes into night, though time somehow never really passes. Things are good whenever music like this is playing. This song was written by William Trader, and the track features, in addition to Clarence White, Tut Taylor on dobro, Roland White on mandolin, Gary Carlson on rhythm guitar, and Victor Gaskin on bass. The track comes from a studio rehearsal from 1964. The record then jumps ahead to 1967, for the first of the record's tracks written by Clarence White, "New Soldier's Joy." This is largely a guitar piece, with Clarence delivering some great stuff, though at a certain point the other musicians take over, and we are treated to leads by Bob Warford on banjo and Roland White on mandolin.

"Yesterday's Train" is a song that was included on that untitled 1970 Byrds album. The version included here comes from a Byrds rehearsal held in May of 1970, and is the first track to include vocals. Gene Parsons is on vocals and rhythm guitar. This track also includes harmonica, though no harmonica player is listed on the record's jacket. This version, unlike the one on that untitled album, has a brief introduction on guitar. "Yesterday's train is rolling/Can you touch it through the mist/Did you meet someone on yesterday's train/Could you tell it with a kiss." That's followed by "Sally Goodin Meets The Byrds," a fun bluegrass number composed by Clarence White that would be included on The Byrds album Byrdmaniax, there under the title "Green Apple Quick Step." This track features Eric White Sr. delivering some delicious work on harmonica. Skip Battin's bass line makes me smile, its delightful simplicity. This track seems to be coming to an end at around the minute and forty-five second mark (which is approximately the length of "Green Apple Quick Step"), and then we get some more guitar work. The first time I listened to this record, I thought it might be something separate.

"Casper Creek" (also known as "Banjo Dog") is another fun tune, written by Gene Parsons, who delivers some really good work on banjo. Clarence White plays both mandolin and rhythm guitar on this track. The first side ends with a tune recorded just days before Clarence White's death, "Alabama Jubilee," and it's a great one. The group of musicians playing here is outstanding, and includes Herb Pedersen on rhythm guitar, Byron Berline on fiddle, Alan Munde on banjo, Lee Sklar on electric bass, Roger Bush on acoustic bass, Ed Green on drums, and Roland White on mandolin. I especially love Byron's work on fiddle. Holy moly! This track certainly sounds like a jubilee, like a celebration, seeming to promise the good times were only beginning and were never to end. Oh, if only.

Side B

The album's second side, the electric guitar side, opens with a cover of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe," turning the song into a seriously cool jam, with a great, loose feel. There are no vocals to this rendition, Clarence's electric guitar taking on what would be the vocal line. Gene Parsons is on drums on this track, and on most of the tracks on this side. I've always liked this song, but it was never one I would have thought as particularly cool. Well, this recording presents a fresh view of this song. This recording is from July of 1967. Then we get a Roustabouts recording of the Buck Owens song "Buckaroo," an instrumental tune composed by Bob Morris. The Byrds also covered this song, and you can hear their version on Live At The Fillmore February 1969. There is some wonderful work on this track. Plus, this is just one of those pieces of music that elicit a smile from anyone who listens. The Roustabouts, by the way, were a country band that Clarence White was a member of. Dennis Mathes is on pedal steel, Bo Wagner is on drums, Jim Alley is on bass, and Richard Arlen is on rhythm guitar.

Clarence White was a member of another country band, Nashville West, with Gib Guilbeau on rhythm guitar, Gene Parsons on drums, and Wayne Moore on bass. That group also had a song titled "Nashville West," putting them in that category with Bad Company, I See Hawks In L.A., They Might Be Giants and several other bands who had songs sharing their band names. The version of "Nashville West" included on this record comes from January of 1968. It's another cool, but short jam. By the way, The Byrds also recorded this song. That's followed by a Byrds track, "Byrd Jam" (which is also known as "White's Lightning"). This one fades in, so was already in progress, and the band is rocking here. This one was composed by Clarence White and Roger McGuinn. And it fades out, making me wonder just how long the full jam is, where it ends up going, and also where it came from.

"Around The Barn" has vocals, but the track's full personnel is not listed on the jacket, just Clarence White on guitar and Gene Parsons on drums. The lyrics are simply repetition of the song's title, along with some goofiness. This is just fun, and I love it. It comes from a jam session in March of 1969. This fantastic record concludes with "I'm On My Way Home Again," recorded during a rehearsal with the Everly Brothers in April of 1969. It includes some banter at the beginning about how the song should go, with some suggestions. And we learn this is the first take. Gene Parsons and Gram Parsons also play on this track. Gene Parsons is not on drums here, but instead on banjo. Bob Rafkin is on drums, and Jerry Scheff is on bass. Don Everly and Phil Everly are on vocals. The Everly Brothers released this song on a single in 1969. This track is perfect for those who need a reminder of just how damn good the Everly Brothers were.

Record Track List

Side A

1. No Title Yet Blues
2. Fire On The Mountain
3. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I
4. New Soldier's Joy
5. Yesterday's Train
6. Sally Goodin Meets The Byrds
7. Casper Creek
8. Alabama Jubilee

Side B

1. Ode To Billie Joe
2. Buckaroo
3. Nashville West
4. Byrd Jam
5. Around The Barn
6. I'm On My Way Home Again

Melodies From A Byrd In Flyte 1963-1973 is scheduled to be released on April 12, 2025 (Black Friday) through Liberation Hall.