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<\/a>Clarence White, early 1970s<\/p><\/div>\n
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“We’re getting standing ovations for the first time. We’re tighter and more together. We’re a much, much better band.”
\n–Roger McGuinn to Rolling Stone, late 1969<\/p><\/blockquote>\n1970 was The Byrds’ last great year of sustained excellence. They played around 200 gigs in the US and Europe and were consistently lauded for kickass live performances. Their last great album, Untitled<\/em><\/a>, was released on September 16, 1970, with half the album consisting of face-melting live tracks and the other half consisting of hit and miss, but mostly solid studio work. Clarence, of course, was invaluable in both contexts, but particularly so live. While the setlists didn’t vary too much from night to night, White’s playing never stayed in any one place too long. His was a jazzbo’s sensibility, constantly tinkering with the delivery, giving these great songs an evolving, fluid presence that brought out the best in The Byrds catalog.<\/p>\n
After sifting through the original Untitled<\/em> release, the outstanding two-disc reissue from 2000, multiple live shows, and some non-Byrds material — notably his acoustic duets with Roger Bush<\/a> — I finally settled on 10 Byrds tunes, just over a half-hour in length, that I feel best showcase Clarence White’s arsenal of talents. I’ve arranged the tracks in the fashion of their shows from that year, so that we start off with rock songs (both country and regular), incorporate an acoustic midsection, and then return to the rock. I also nod to the Untitled<\/em> format by following the live stuff with studio material.<\/p>\n
But first, an overview of the era with Skip Battin replacing John York on bass, a personnel change that kicked the rhythm section up a notch. Then, Gene Parsons and a few rock critics discuss how The Byrds vastly improved as a live act by 1970, that their harmonies may have gotten “crustier” and they certainly weren’t as commercial, but as a performing unit they were never better.<\/p>\n
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