Gib Guilbeau
Encyclopedia
Floyd August "Gib" Guilbeau (born September 26, 1937) is an American country-rock
musician and songwriter. As a member of Nashville West
, Swampwater
, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Guilbeau helped pioneer the fusion of rock and country music in the 1960s.
Guilbeau was born in Sunset, Louisiana
and raised among fiddle
players. His father and brothers played fiddle, and he himself started playing fiddle at the age of fourteen.
In 1960, Guilbeau formed The Four Young Men with guitarist Wayne Moore, which Bobby Edwards
then joined to become Bobby Edwards & the Four Young Men. Together, they release the single "You're the Reason", which became a nationwide hit, peaking at #4 Country and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961.
In 1967, Guilbeau formed Nashville West, a short-lived country-rock group with multi-instrumentalist Gene Parsons
, who had played with Guilbeau in a band called the Castaways years earlier, guitarist Clarence White
, formerly of the Kentucky Colonels
, and Wayne Moore on bass. Along with bands such as the Byrds, Dillard & Clark
and the International Submarine Band
, Nashville West was one of the first country-rock bands. Country-rock notables such as Gram Parsons
and future Flying Burrito Brother Sneaky Pete Kleinow
would sit in with the group. They also provided backing for other groups, such as the Gosdin Brothers
and The Hollywood Argyles
. Nashville West came to an end in 1968 when Gram Parsons abruptly left the Byrds and the group asked Clarence White to replace him.
In 1969, Guilbeau played in the group Swampwater, originally formed to back Linda Ronstadt
following the breakup of the Stone Poneys
. Swampwater played a unique brand of Cajun rock that had no precedents in rock music. Swampwater recorded two albums before they broke up.
In 1972, Guilbeau contributed to the soundtrack for the Martin Scorsese
film Boxcar Bertha
.
In 1974, Guilbeau, along with Gene Parsons
and original members Chris Ethridge
and Sneaky Pete Kleinow
together formed more than 4 latter-day version's of the Flying Burrito Brothers. The band underwent many personnel changes including the 1978 invitation given by Sneaky Pete to induct Laramy Smith to join the FBB Ledgends of country rock, Smith declined as he was living in the South of France and the Burritos were based in Hollywood, and so they went on performing and recording together sporadically into the 1990s Laramy Smith did perform on the same bill with the Burritos,and Arizona, at the Albi Nashville festival, in Albi France.
As a songwriter, Guilbeau's songs have been covered by many artists, including Rick Nelson, Bobby Womack
, Ronnie Wood, and Rod Stewart
.
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
musician and songwriter. As a member of Nashville West
Nashville West
As a session band, Nashville West recorded prolifically, though never under the Nashville West name, backing other artists on Gary S. Paxton's record label. However, in 1976, an album under the name Nashville West was eventually released on the Sierra Records label...
, Swampwater
Swampwater
Swampwater was an American country rock band, that formed and started out initially as Linda Ronstadt’s backing group in the late 1960s, soon after she went solo. They are famous for incorporating cajun and swamp-rock elements into their music...
, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, Guilbeau helped pioneer the fusion of rock and country music in the 1960s.
Guilbeau was born in Sunset, Louisiana
Sunset, Louisiana
Sunset is a town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,897 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Opelousas–Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Sunset is located at ....
and raised among fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
players. His father and brothers played fiddle, and he himself started playing fiddle at the age of fourteen.
In 1960, Guilbeau formed The Four Young Men with guitarist Wayne Moore, which Bobby Edwards
Bobby Edwards
Bobby Edwards is an American country singer who recorded between 1959 and 1964.-Biography:...
then joined to become Bobby Edwards & the Four Young Men. Together, they release the single "You're the Reason", which became a nationwide hit, peaking at #4 Country and #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961.
In 1967, Guilbeau formed Nashville West, a short-lived country-rock group with multi-instrumentalist Gene Parsons
Gene Parsons
Gene Victor Parsons is an American drummer, banjo player, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and innovative engineer, best known for his work with The Byrds from 1968 to 1972. Parsons has also released solo albums and played in bands including Nashville West, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Parsons Green...
, who had played with Guilbeau in a band called the Castaways years earlier, guitarist Clarence White
Clarence White
Clarence White was a guitar player for Nashville West, The Byrds, Muleskinner, and the Kentucky Colonels. His parents were Acadians from New Brunswick, Canada...
, formerly of the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
, and Wayne Moore on bass. Along with bands such as the Byrds, Dillard & Clark
Dillard & Clark
Dillard & Clark was a country rock duo which featured ex-Byrds member Gene Clark and bluegrass banjo player Doug Dillard. The group was formed in 1968, shortly after Clark departed The Byrds, and Dillard left The Dillards. They were backed up by, among others, Bernie Leadon, Chris Hillman, Sneaky...
and the International Submarine Band
International submarine band
The International Submarine Band was formed by country rock pioneer Gram Parsons while a theology student at Harvard University and John Nuese, a guitar player for local rock group, The Trolls. Nuese is largely credited with having persuaded Parsons to pursue the country-rock sound he would later...
, Nashville West was one of the first country-rock bands. Country-rock notables such as Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
and future Flying Burrito Brother Sneaky Pete Kleinow
Sneaky Pete Kleinow
Peter E. "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow was an American country-rock musician, songwriter, and a motion picture special effects artist...
would sit in with the group. They also provided backing for other groups, such as the Gosdin Brothers
Vern Gosdin
Vern Gosdin was an American country music singer. He idolized The Louvin Brothers and The Blue Sky Boys as a young man and sang in a gospel quartet called The Gosdin Brothers. An inheritor of the soulful honky tonk style of Lefty Frizzell and Merle Haggard, Gosdin was nicknamed "The Voice" by his...
and The Hollywood Argyles
The Hollywood Argyles
The Hollywood Argyles were an American musical ensemble, assembled for studio recordings by the producer and songwriter Kim Fowley and his friend and fellow musician Gary Paxton...
. Nashville West came to an end in 1968 when Gram Parsons abruptly left the Byrds and the group asked Clarence White to replace him.
In 1969, Guilbeau played in the group Swampwater, originally formed to back Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
following the breakup of the Stone Poneys
Stone Poneys
The Stone Poneys were a folk-rock trio formed in Los Angeles, consisting of Bobby Kimmel , Kenny Edwards , and Linda Ronstadt . Their recordings include Linda Ronstadt's first hit song, a cover of Mike Nesmith's "Different Drum"...
. Swampwater played a unique brand of Cajun rock that had no precedents in rock music. Swampwater recorded two albums before they broke up.
In 1972, Guilbeau contributed to the soundtrack for the Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
film Boxcar Bertha
Boxcar Bertha
Boxcar Bertha , director Martin Scorsese's second film, is a loose adaptation of Sister of the Road, the fictionalized autobiography of radical and transient Bertha Thompson as written by Ben Reitman...
.
In 1974, Guilbeau, along with Gene Parsons
Gene Parsons
Gene Victor Parsons is an American drummer, banjo player, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and innovative engineer, best known for his work with The Byrds from 1968 to 1972. Parsons has also released solo albums and played in bands including Nashville West, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Parsons Green...
and original members Chris Ethridge
Chris Ethridge
Chris Ethridge is an American country rock bass guitarist. He was a member of the International Submarine Band and The Flying Burrito Brothers, and co-wrote several songs with Gram Parsons.-Career:...
and Sneaky Pete Kleinow
Sneaky Pete Kleinow
Peter E. "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow was an American country-rock musician, songwriter, and a motion picture special effects artist...
together formed more than 4 latter-day version's of the Flying Burrito Brothers. The band underwent many personnel changes including the 1978 invitation given by Sneaky Pete to induct Laramy Smith to join the FBB Ledgends of country rock, Smith declined as he was living in the South of France and the Burritos were based in Hollywood, and so they went on performing and recording together sporadically into the 1990s Laramy Smith did perform on the same bill with the Burritos,and Arizona, at the Albi Nashville festival, in Albi France.
As a songwriter, Guilbeau's songs have been covered by many artists, including Rick Nelson, Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
, Ronnie Wood, and Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
.