Gene Parsons - Kindling

(Warner Brothers BS-2687) 1973

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Gene Parsons spent 1968-1972 playing drums for The Byrds in their country-rock period from 'Sweetheart Of The Rodeo' to 'Farther Along'. In July 1972 he left the band^[1] and scored a solo deal with Warner Bros. The result, Kindling, is a nice enough hippish country rock affair, with a Cajun feel in places. It is similar I guess to Gram Parsons, John Hartford and the like.

It also features Ralph Stanley singing tenor on one track - Drunkard's Dream.

When Ralph was first told about the session, he thought he was being kidded. The invitation entailed an all-expenses-paid cross-country flight to California. For a single song. Stanley was delighted to accept, while at the same time flabbergasted by the extravagance of the arrangement.^[2]

The version of Drunkard's Dream is pretty similar to The Stanley Brothers original 1962 recording for King. Ralph is a quite low in the mix, particularly at the start of the song. Also featured on the track are Clarence White and Roger Bush from The Kentucky Colonels. Ralph had previously known Clarence and Roger from when The Stanley Brothers played the Ash Grove in LA in 1962, where Roger filled in on bass. The Stanley Brothers also produced The Kentucky Colonels - 'The New Sound Of Bluegrass America' LP (Briar LP-PC-109) in 1963.

Fiddle wizard, Vassar Clements is also featured on the track with some of his wonderful bluesy licks.

Personnel on Drunkard's Dream are:-

• Gene Parsons: acoustic guitar, lead vocal
• Ralph Stanley: tenor vocal
• Clarence White: mandolin, low 3rd vocal
• Vassar Clements: fiddle
• Roger Bush: bass

On other tracks Gene plays some banjo, pedal steel, bass, harmonica, drums, auto-harp - a talented chap!

Bluegrass Unlimited's 'General Store' (Mar. 1973) mentioned the album and it's bluegrass connections, saying that it was scheduled for release in March 1973. It's possible therefore that the recording sessions took place in the latter half of 1972.

Despite garnering some good reviews, Kindling failed to set the music world alight, and Gene later went on to play with The Flying Burrito Brothers...

NB: Liner notes don't specify instruments/vocal parts for individual tracks.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farther_Along_(The_Byrds_album)
[2] John Wright's liner notes to Ralph's 50th Anniversary Collection.