It’s not often that one person can have such a huge influence on so many in multiple genres but Chris Hillman fills the bill and this Saturday in Irvine, CA The FAR-WEST Folk Alliance will honor Chris for his life-long enduring presence in the Folk Music Scene and for inspiring others by embodying FOLK values and traditions in his music.
Regardless of the genre you want to put him in, Chris Hillman, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member for his contribution to the Rock Band THE BYRDS and later the FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS, a hit-making Country Band Leader with the DESERT ROSE BAND or as an acoustic performer with Herb Pederson, you’d have to say that Chris Hillman embodies folk values in whatever he does.
One testament to that is to listen to his acoustic version of the BYRDS’ hit “Eight Miles High” a bonafied “rocker” in it’s original version that now get’s airplay on countless Bluegrass, Americana, Folk and Roots radio programs thanks to Chris’ acoustic adaptation.
Many have said that Chris Hillman was instrumental in helping the BYRDS to fuse Rock and Roll with Country and today we see Chris doing the same with acoustic music. But the truth is that he can’t help it. Chris is just being Chris. It’s what he does and the way he does it. It takes an extremely talented and unique individual to do what they do and to be successful doing it - especially when jumping boundary lines from one style to another. And that is why he is being honored with the 2013 FAR-WEST BEST OF THE WEST AWARD and also why he is so deserving.
Chris Hillman is accepted in any musical format because he is that format. He’s not an outsider coming in when the moment is right and then disappearing only to pop up again in another “right moment.” He’s right at home in today’s bluegrass because like country star Barbara Mandrell would have said, he was bluegrass before bluegrass was cool.
Former BYRD member and bandmate, Roger McGuinn said, “He was an excellent musician from the beginning. He came over to The Byrds from playing bluegrass mandolin, we handed him a bass and he adapted really quickly and was really lyrical on the bass. He later emerged as a really great singer and songwriter, so it was an honor to play with him."
Hillman, now 68 and a Santa Barbara, CA resident will perform Saturday at 6:30 p.m. with longtime pal and often-times bandmate, Herb Pederson at the Irvine Hyatt Regency. The concert is open to the public and tickets are $10. per person.
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