The music world changed just a bit on August 30 1968 with the release of The Byrds’ groundbreaking album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo. For this week’s show, we'll sample a few selections from the classic recording and then trace the backstory of the record and the members of the band.

We feature music from Roger McGuinn in the years preceding the formation of the Byrds, selections from bass player Chris Hillman who started his career as a bluegrass mandolin player with the Hillmen, and we hear Gram Parsons and his group The International Submarine Band on a tune that would become an Emmylou Harris standard. We’ll also offer some bands that were influenced by this highly influential recording. Celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Sweetheart of the Rodeo … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine!

Episode #18-33: Sweetheart at 50

Host: Tom Druckenmiller

Artist/”Song”/CD/Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways

Lloyd Green & Jay Dee Maness / “You Ain't Going Nowhere” / A Journey to the Beginning-A Steel Guitar Tribute to the Byrds / Handdrawn

Judy Collins / “Bullgine Run” / 3 / Elektra

Roger McGuinn / “Ramblin' On” / The 12 String Story / Essential Media Group

The Hillmen / “When the Ship Comes In” / The Hillmen / Sugar Hill

The International Submarine Band / “Luxury Liner” / Safe At Home / Sundazed

The Byrds / “One Hundred Years from Now” / Sweetheart of the Rodeo / Columbia

The Byrds / “Hickory Wind” / Sweetheart of the Rodeo / Columbia

The Byrds / “Life in Prison” / Sweetheart of the Rodeo / Columbia

The Flying Burrito Brothers / “Wheels” / The Gilded Palace of Sin / A+M

Lloyd Green & Jay Dee Maness / “You're Still On My Mind” / A Journey to the Beginning-A Steel Guitar Tribute to the Byrds / Handdrawn

Gram Parsons & the Fallen Angels / “Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man” / Live 1973 / Rhino

Gene Clark / “Tried So Hard” / With the Gosdin Brothers / Sundazed

The Kentucky Colonels / “If You're Ever Gonna Love Me” / Livin' in the Past / Sierra

Clarence White / “Black Mountain Rag” / 33 Acoustic Guitar Instrumentals / Sierra

The Dillards / “Reason to Believe” / Wheatstraw Suite / Elektra

Rick Nelson / “Travelin' Man” / The Troubadour 1969 / Ace

Buffalo Springfield / “Go and Say Goodbye” / Buffalo Springfield / Atco

Poco / “Grand Junction” / Pickin' Up the Pieces / Epic

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer”(excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways