The Dillards - Biography
By J Poet
The Dillards were one of the first hard-core bluegrass groups to break into the mainstream, popularizing the style during the folk revival of the early 60s and the progressive “newgrass” movement of the 70s. They appeared in six episodes of The Andy Griffith Show as The Darlings, bringing their music to a nationwide audince that had little exposure to authentic old time music and bluegrass, although they have said many times that they don’t identify as “authentic” bluegrass pickers. They used electric instruments to play bluegrass as early as 1964 which outraging purists even while attracting young rock’n’rollers to the field of traditional music. They also hired drummer Dewy Martin (before he joined Buffalo Springfield) to modernize their sound and slowly morphed into a bluegrass/country/rock band that helped lay the foundation of LA’s country rock scene. Doug Dillard, whose unbelievably fast banjo picking was one of the group’s main selling points in their early days, left the band to work with Gene Clark on the legendary Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark ( 1968, A&M) another early country rock album. When interest in bluegrass died down in the late 70s, the band slowly splintered, although they reunite sporadically for reunion concerts. The Rodney Dillard Band performs regularly in Branson, MO.
Doug Dillard picked up the guitar at five and started on banjo at 15 and played on the streets of Salem MO for anyone who’d listen. Rodney Dillard was also a young guitar picker. They made semi-professional debut in a family band with dad on fiddle, mom on guitar and an older brother on piano. Their first real band was the Ozark Mountain Boys and in their spare time they played with another young fiddler, John Hartford before he became a roots music icon. The brothers made some early recordings as a duo [The Dillards Early Recordings—1959 (2006, Varese Sarabande)] and a few with outer bluegrass bands, but Salem wasn’t a music industry hub. In 1961 they enlisted Dean Webb, a mandolin player they knew, and Mitch Jayne, a radio personality who had shown interest in their musical endeavors. They taught Jayne how to play bass and set out for Hollywood to make it big.
The night they made it to LA they found themselves infront of The Ash Grove, the city’s top folk venue. The Greenbrair Boys, from New York City, were headlining and invited the Dillards onstage for a jam session. Jim Dickson, an A&R man for Elektra Records was in the audience and 48 hours after the band had come to LA they had a record deal. Their first album, Back Porch Bluegrass (1963, Elektra) was a sensation with Doug getting particular praise for his amazing speed on the banjo. They also doubled their vocals and by recording every vocal part twice, which gave the harmonies a shimmering, larger than life sound. Soon after, The Andy Griffith Show singed the boys for six segments as The Darlings, playing themselves and getting a chance to plug their music on national TV. While making Dillards Live! Almost! (1964, Elektra) a half studio, half live album they shared the recroding studio with The Byrds. Gene Clark and Doug struck up the friendship that led to Doug joining the Byrds and starting gthe Dillard and Clark Expedition. Pickin’ and Fiddlin with Byron Berline (1965, Elektra) followed, the latter introducing the soon to be fiddling super session player Berline. They were also the backup band on Glen Campbell’s 12-string guitar instrumental albums The Folkswingers: 12 Sting Guitar (1964, World Pacific) and The Folkswingers: 12 Sting Guitar, Vol. 2 (1964, World Pacific).
When Doug left to play with the Byrds, the band brought in Berkeley CA native Herb Penderson, who was a great arranger. He suggested doubling their vocals - by recording every vocal part twice, the harmonies took on a shimmering, larger than life sound. Wheatstraw Suite (1968, Elektra) was an early country rock album and maybe the only bluegrass/rock album. For Copperfields (1968, Elektra) they added drummer Peter York and electric pickups on their instruments to show off Penderson’s arrangements including a beautiful a cappella rendition of The Beatles’ “Yestreday.” Bothg albums should have been hits, but fared poorly. The Dillards left Elektra and signed with Capital, who never put out any of the tracks they made.
Meanwhile, Doug was playing electric banjo with Gene Clark on Gene Clark & The Gosdin Brothers (1966, Columbia). He also composed the banjo music for the soundtrack of Bonnie and Clyde. And joined the Byrds as a sideman for a European tour. In the summer of 68, Dillard and Clark collaborated on Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark (1968, A&M) one of the first country rock albums. The album, now considered a classic, didn’t find an audience, and the duo returned to the studio for Through the Morning, Through the Night (1969, A&M) but it lacked the innovation of the original expedition. Clark left the band and while Dillard and The Expedition soldiered on as a life act, they never made another recording.
Doug Dillard made a few solo albums and became a noted session man playing with artists like Arlo Guthrie, Hoyt Axton, and John Anderson.
The Dillards themselves cut Roots and Branches (1972, Anthem/UA) another country rock bluegrass hybrid and their biggest seller, perhaps due to the fact that Elton John tapped them to be the opening act on his 1972 tour of the States. In 1974 a book Mitch Janye wrote, “Old Fish Hawk,” got optioned for a movie. He was also loosing his hearing, so he left the band.
The band toured but didn’t record for five years although Doug and Rodney did do a one off with old pal John Hartfrod as Dillard-Hartfrod-Dillard (1977, Flying Fish.) A revamped lineup cut a few more albums including Decade Waltz (1979, Flying Fish) and Homecoming and Family Reunion (1979, Flying Fish), more folk and bluegrass than progressive. Things had run their course and for the time being, they went their separate ways.
Rod joined Earl Scruggs for an extended tour, then moved to Branson where he performs regularly with his wife Beverly. He cut a solo album for Flying Fish in 1985, At Silver Dollar City and the Doug Dillard band released What’s That? (1986, Flying Fish.) The original Dillards (with Steve Cooly replacing Doug) reunited for the 30th Anniversary of the Andy Griffith show in 1989-90. The TV special led to a few dates, then a tour, than two more albums Let It Fly (1991, Vanguard) and Take Me Along for the Ride (1992, Vanguard). Two compilations offer a quick overview of the band’s music: Best of the Dillards (1976, Elektra) and There is a Time (1963-1970) (1991, Vanguard.)
