The Byrds

The Byrds were initially called The Jet Set, due to Roger McGuinn's fascination with airplanes.

The Jet Set (1964)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals - b. James Joseph McGuinn III, July 13, 1942, Chicago, Illinois - formerly with The Limeliters and The Chad Mitchell Trio; also backed Judy Collins.
  • Gene Clark - vocals/tambourine/guitar - b. Harold Eugene Clark, November 17, 1941, Tipton, Missouri; d. May 24, 1991, Sherman Oaks, California - formerly with The New Christy Minstrels.
  • David Crosby - guitar/vocals - b. David Van Cortland, August 14, 1941, Los Angeles, California - formerly with Ethan & David and Les Baxter's Balladeers

The Byrds I (1964 - 1966)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals - b. December 4, 1942, Los Angeles, California - formerly with The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers, The Golden Gate Boys / The Hillmen, and The Green Grass Group.
  • Gene Clark - vocals/tambourine/guitar
  • David Crosby - guitar/vocals
  • Michael Clarke - drums - b. June 3, 1944, New York City, New York; d. December 19, 1993, Treasure Island, Florida.
Albums:
  1. "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965) - Single: "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965)
  2. "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (1966) - Single: "Turn! Turn! Turn!" (1966)
  3. "In the Beginning" (1988)
Gene Clark departs for solo career.

The Byrds II (1966 - 1968)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals
  • David Crosby - guitar/vocals
  • Michael Clarke - drums
Albums:
  1. "Fifth Dimension" (1966) - Single: "Eight Miles High" (1966)
  2. "Younger Than Yesterday" (1967)
David Crosby leaves to form Crosby, Stills and Nash with Stephen Stills (ex-Buffalo Springfield) and Graham Nash (ex-Hollies). Michael Clarke joins the Dillard and Clark Expedition and was later member of Firefall.

The Byrds III (1968)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals
  • Kevin Kelley - drums - b. 1945 (Chris Hillman's cousin).
Album:
  1. "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" (1968)

The Byrds IV (1968)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals
  • Kevin Kelley - drums
  • Gram Parsons - guitar/vocals - b. Ingram Cecil Connor III, November 5, 1946, Winter Haven, Florida; d. September 19, 1973, Yucca Valley, California.
Album:
  1. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" (1968)
Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman leave to form country-rock band The Flying Burrito Brothers.

The Byrds V (1968 - 1969)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Clarence White - guitar/vocals - b. June 6, 1944, Lewiston, Maine; d. July 14, 1973, Palmdale, California. Stellar bluegrass flatpicker formerly with bluegrass band The Kentucky Colonels.
  • Gene Parsons - drums - b. April 9, 1944.
  • John York - bass
Album:
  1. "Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde" (1969)

The Byrds VI (1969 - 1972)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Clarence White - guitar/vocals
  • Gene Parsons - drums
  • Skip Battin - bass/vocals - b. February 2, 1934, Gallipolis, Ohio.
Albums:
  1. "The Ballad of Easy Rider" (1970)
  2. "The Byrds (Untitled)" (1970)
  3. "(Untitled)/(Unissued)" (2-CDs) (2000)
  4. "Byrdmaniax" (1971)
  5. "Farther Along" (1972)
Gene Parsons goes solo and records two albums.

The Byrds VII (1972 - 1973) (disbanded)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Clarence White - guitar/vocals
  • Daryl Dragon - drums - b. August 27, 1942, Los Angeles, California.
  • John Guerin - bass
Clarence White and his brother Roland White reform bluegrass band The Kentucky Colonels (a.k.a. The White Brothers).

The Byrds I (1973) (reformed for one album with original lineup)
  • Roger McGuinn - guitar/vocals
  • Chris Hillman - bass/vocals
  • Gene Clark - vocals/tambourine/guitar
  • David Crosby - guitar/vocals
  • Michael Clarke - drums
Albums:
  1. "The Byrds" (1973)
  2. "Preflyte" (1973)
Roger McGuinn had solo career and was a member of McGuinn, Clark and Hillman. Gene Clark also had a solo career. Chris Hillman joins The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band, and later founded The Desert Rose Band (w/Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson).

Compilations:
  1. "Greatest Hits" (1967)
  2. "The Best of the Byrds - Greatest Hits, vol. 2" (1972)
  3. "The Original Singles 1965-67" (1980)
  4. "The Byrds" (4-CD box set) (1990)
  5. "20 Essential Tracks from the Boxed Set: 1965-1990" (1992)
  6. "Byrd Parts: Oddities, Curios & Essentials" (1998)

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Date revised: October 13, 2000