When I first had the opportunity to interview John Beland my research attempts were stymied by the sheer weight of his career. The history of the Flying Burrito Brothers is such that I would refer you to the band’s web site to do your own research because I don’t have the page room here to do it justice. Suffice to say that the FBB’s are one of the most influential bands in country rock music over the past three decades. John Beland led the band to a series of country hits in the 80’s and his guitar and vocals have been heard behind some of the most influential and legendary artists of our time: Linda Ronstadt, Arlo Guthrie, Dolly Parton, The Bellamy Brothers, Rick Nelson, Nicolette Larson, Gene Clark, Ry Cooder, and Joan Baez to name a few. Many top artists like Garth Brooks and Rick Nelson have recorded his songs, and as a top session player in both LA and Nashville, particularly during the 60s and 70s you are more than likely to have heard his playing on any number of hits. And yet one of his career highlights has been bringing his band to our shores for the first time. I was priveleged to spend an hour with him in Tamworth.

 

John Beland played the Grand Old Opry at 19, a venue of such heritage, that playing it would seem quite a daunting experience for someone so young.

“I was coming from Los Angeles where I had been playing at the Troubadour, doing sessions and so on. Nashville was the far off place, so when I got to join the Linda Ronstadt band, we were booked to play the Johnny Cash Show, an ABC TV show which was taped at the Opry. Cash was one of the innovators of bringing rock and country together, and he bought in the students of the Vanderbilt University, which was a really radical thing to do in conservative Nashville. On the bill was Neil Young, James Taylor, Tony Joe White, Albert Brooks, Bread and Earl Scruggs and Linda and us. But not only that, after the show Linda says come on over to Quadraphonic Studios, I’m doing some harmonies for Neil Young. So over I go and in the booth is Neil Young, James Taylor and Linda doing the harmonies on ‘Heart of Gold’ I can still picture it. So besides the Opry I was in on the session of one of the biggest hits of our time, and we got snowed in for the night. It was real rock dreams. But even as young and dumb I was at 19 I was smart enough to have had great respect for the heritage and importance of what I was involved in”.

Read on: Talking to the man >>