Jump to content

The Dillards

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the band. For the department store chain, see Dillard's.
The Dillards
The band in 1977
Background information
OriginSalem, Missouri, U.S.
Genres
Years active1963–present
Members
  • Rodney Dillard
  • Beverly Cotton-Dillard
Websitewww.rodneydillard.tv

The Dillards are an American bluegrass and country rock band from Salem, Missouri.[1] They are notable for being among the first bluegrass groups to have electrified their instruments,[2] and they are considered to be pioneers of country rock and progressive bluegrass.[1] In 2022, the band was inducted into the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame.[3]

Biography

[edit]

The band was originally brothers Doug Dillard and Rodney Dillard, plus Mitch Jayne and Dean Webb. They had had some successful singles in Missouri and moved to Los Angeles in 1962.[4] Within weeks of their arrival, they were signed by both Elektra Records and the William Morris Agency, who soon had them booked on the The Andy Griffith Show, playing a family of mountain musicians called "The Darlings".[4] This was a recurring role, running from 1963 to 1966. In 1986, the Dillards reprised the role in the reunion show Return to Mayberry.[5] On the October 1963 episode "Briscoe Declares for Aunt Bee", the Dillards performed the first wide-scale airing of the 1955 Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith composition Feudin' Banjos (Dueling Banjos). Several albums have since featured songs performed on the show.[6]

The Dillards released four albums in quick succession but, in 1967, Doug wrote and performed the banjo music for the soundtrack of the movie Bonnie and Clyde. That led to an invitation to tour with The Byrds, and he left the band; later, he would release solo albums and form the band Dillard and Clark.[7]

In 1968, with Doug Dillard replaced by Herb Peterson, The Dillards released the album "Wheatstraw Suite", which Elektra founder Jac Holzman called "one of the most innovative bluegrass albums of all time". The album "broke all the rules of bluegrass music", said Rodney Dillard. "We put strings on it, we went electric, we used drums, and we put layered vocals on it." There was backlash from the Bluegrass community but the album inspired artists such as Steve Martin, Don Henley and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones, who attributed his decision to play the mandolin to their influence.[8][9] [10]

In 1970, the band released Copperfields, a more progressive album with more orchestra and more drums. It was a further step away from traditional Blue Grass but continued to progress the genre and keep it in the public eye.[11] One artist who was profoundly influenced by both albums was Elton John, who said that, on his first trip to America, his first act was to see a Dillards concert. In 1973, The Dillards joined John on his Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tour.[5] During the tour, The Dillards released Roots and Branches, which became their most commercially successful album.[12]

In 1989, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band co-founder John McEuen, a long-time Dillards fan, wanted to capture the spirit and energy of The Dillards on film; the result was the 80-minute video A Night In The Ozarks.[13]

In 2002, The Dillards performed with Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger at Carnegie Hall.[14] In 2008, Guthrie and The Dillards released 32 Cents, Postage Due, an album of Woody Guthrie songs.[15]

Over the years, the band has seen many personnel changes. Rodney and his wife, Beverly Cotton-Dillard, are the only remaining full-time members. Beverly is a native of Morrisville, North Carolina who performed with Janette Carter, Ola Belle Reed, Tommy Jarrell, and Doc and Merle Watson. Cotton-Dillard is recognized as an authority on the traditional Clawhammer banjo technique and her 1981 album Clog-In: An American Folk Dance Classic is considered an American folk classic.[5][16]

The Dillards continue to release new music. For their most recent album, 2020's Old Road New Again, they called upon Herb Pedersen, Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, Bernie Leadon and Don Henley.

The Dillards circa 1981

Past members

[edit]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
Year Album Chart Positions Label
US Top 200 CAN
1963 Back Porch Bluegrass — — Elektra
1964 Live!!!! Almost!!! — —
1965 Pickin' and Fiddlin' (with Byron Berline) — —
1965 Western Jamboree — —
1968 Wheatstraw Suite — —
1970 Copperfields — —
1972 Roots and Branches 79 56 Anthem
1973 Tribute to the American Duck — — Poppy
1977 The Dillards vs. The Incredible L.A. Time Machine — — Flying Fish
1977 Glitter Grass from the Nashwood Hollyville Strings, with John Hartford — — Flying Fish
1978 Mountain Rock — — Crystal Clear
1979 Decade Waltz — — Flying Fish
1980 Homecoming and Family Reunion — —
1984 Silver Dollar Jubilee — — Silver Dollar City[25]
1989 A Night In The Ozarks (video) — — John McEuen
1991 Let It Fly — — Vanguard
1992 Take Me Along for the Ride — —
1999 A Long Time Ago: The First Time Live — — Varèse Sarabande
2006 Early Recordings – 1959 — —
2020 Old Road New Again — — Pinecastle Records

Compilations

[edit]
Year Album Label
1976 Country Tracks/The Best of the Dillards Elektra
1986 I'll Fly Away Edsel
1991 There Is a Time (1963–70) Vanguard
1995 The Best of The Darlin' Boys
1996 Roots and Branches/Tribute to the American Duck Beat Goes On
2001 Back Porch Bluegrass & Live!!!! Almost!!! Warner Strategic Marketing
2004 Pickin' and Fiddlin', Wheatstraw Suite & Copperfields
2005 Let The Music Flow: The Best of the Dillards 1963–1979 Raven

Singles

[edit]
Year Title Billboard Hot 100 Album Label
1963 "Dooley" — Back Porch Bluegrass Elektra
"Hootin' Banjo" (Duelin' Banjo) —
1965 "Nobody Knows" — singles only Capitol
1966 "The Last Thing On My Mind" —
1968 "Reason To Believe" — Wheatstraw Suite Elektra
1969 "Listen To The Sound" —
1970 "Rainmaker" — Copperfields
"Close The Door Lightly" —
"One Too Many Mornings" — singles only White Whale
"Comin' Home Again" —
1971 "It's About Time" No. 92 Anthem
1972 "One A.M." No. 111 Roots and Branches
"America (The Lady Of The Harbor)" — single only
1973 "Hot Rod Banjo" — Tribute to the American Duck Poppy
1975 "Stones Throw Away" — single only United Artists
1977 "The Poet" — The Dillards Vs. The Incredible L.A. Time Machine Sonet

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Huey, Steve. "The Dillards Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  2. ^ Liner Notes for The Dillards' Wheatstraw Suite
  3. ^ Lawless, John. "The Dillards inducted into the Bill Monroe Bluegrass Hall of Fame". bluegrasstoday.com. Bluegrass Today. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "The Dillards". Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. November 29, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c Rifkin, Carol (March 2, 2012). "From Mayberry to Black Mountain: The Dillards play mighty fine bluegrass". Asheville Citizen-Times. ProQuest 1471231168. Retrieved March 18, 2021 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ Clodfelter, Tim (November 30, 2019). "Ask SAM". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  7. ^ Doug Dillard dies at 75; banjo player, member of the Dillards band, May 18, 2012, retrieved May 25, 2016
  8. ^ Roland, Terry. "The Dillards Celebrate an Old Road New Again". sandiegotroubadour.com. San Diego Troubadour. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  9. ^ Wolff, Kurt, and Duane, Orla "The Dillards", Country Music: The Rough Guide, p. 215
  10. ^ Ferenczi, Alexis (October 30, 2013). "Entretien avec John Paul Jones, ex-Led Zeppelin, parrain du festival Mandolines de Lunel". Le Huffington Post (French). HPMG News. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  11. ^ "The Dillards: harmonic resolution of the boundary-breaking kind". theaudiophileman.com. The Audiophile Man. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  12. ^ "Doug & Rodney Dillard (Part 4)". burritobrother.com. Burrito Brother. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  13. ^ "The Dillards: A Night in the Ozarks". burritobrother.com. Burrito Brother. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  14. ^ "Arlo Guthrie, Folk Singer". carnegiehall.org. Carnegie Hall. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  15. ^ Guthrie, Arlo. "32¢ Postage Due". arloguthrie.com. Arlo Guthrie. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  16. ^ "Clog-In: An American Folk Dance Classic". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  17. ^ Thompson, Richard. "Bill Bryson Passes". bluegrasstoday.com. Bluegrass Today. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  18. ^ "Steve Cooley". namm.org. National Association of Music Merchants. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  19. ^ Rifkin, Carol. "The Wrecked Fretts". citizen-times.com. Citizen Times. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  20. ^ Roberts, Mike. "Hangtown's Musical Roots". mtdemocrat.com. Mountain Democrat. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "Rick McEwen". bransoncountryusa.net. Branson Country USA. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  22. ^ Steiner, Herb. "LA Drummer Ed Ponder". steelguitarforum.com. The Steel Guitar Forum. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  23. ^ "Dean Webb passes". Bluegrass.today. July 2, 2018. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  24. ^ "Billy Constable: Bluegrass Musician", Blueridge National Heritage Area, retrieved May 15, 2012
  25. ^ "The Dillards: Silver Dollar Jubilee". burritobrother.com. Burrito Brother. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Dillards&oldid=1280645298"