Muleskinner
Encyclopedia
Muleskinner was a bluegrass
supergroup
, active during early '70's.
played together in a psychedelic band Earth Opera
. The band didn't last longer than couple of years and Rowan went on to join Seatrain
, where he met Richard Greene. After two albums with Seatrain
, Greene and Rowan went on to form Muleskinner, banjoist Bill Keith
, former guitarist of Kentucky Colonels
and The Byrds
, Clarence White
along with bassist John Kahn
and drummer John Guerin
, who also worked for The Byrds
.
, as Richard Greene (who played for his Bluegrass Boys before), was asked to put a band together a band to join him in a TV show. However, Monroe's bus had some technical problems and Muleskinner had to play the whole evening on their own and it was a success.
and the band recorded its first studio album, A Potpourri of Bluegrass Jam
, which included elements from jazz, country and progressive bluegrass. This recording can be noted as the first one in the bluegrass genre to include drums.
was killed by a drunken driver just couple of months after the record was released
The band also recorded a live album in 1973 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RkxpFvo__k&NR=1,
which was released 25 years later.
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
, active during early '70's.
Early history
In the late '60's, Peter Rowan and David GrismanDavid Grisman
David Grisman is an American bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. In the early 1990s, he started the Acoustic Disc record label in an effort to preserve and spread acoustic or instrumental music.-Biography:Grisman grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey...
played together in a psychedelic band Earth Opera
Earth Opera
Earth Opera was an American psychedelic rock group, active during 1967-1969 and featuring Peter Rowan and David Grisman.-History:Both Rowan and Grisman were virtuoso folk and bluegrass performers in Boston clubs, who became caught up in the changes in the music scene in the mid 1960s...
. The band didn't last longer than couple of years and Rowan went on to join Seatrain
Seatrain (band)
Seatrain was an American roots fusion band based initially in Marin County, California, and later in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Seatrain was formed after the breakup of the Blues Project in 1969...
, where he met Richard Greene. After two albums with Seatrain
Seatrain (band)
Seatrain was an American roots fusion band based initially in Marin County, California, and later in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Seatrain was formed after the breakup of the Blues Project in 1969...
, Greene and Rowan went on to form Muleskinner, banjoist Bill Keith
Bill Keith (musician)
Bill Keith is a five-string banjoist who made a significant contribution to the stylistic development of the instrument. In the 1960s he introduced a variation on the popular "Scruggs style" of banjo playing which would soon become known as melodic style, or "Keith style." -Professional...
, former guitarist of Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels (band)
The Kentucky Colonels was a popular bluegrass band in the 1960s. They included Clarence White, later with The Byrds.-History:The White brothers started out as the Country Boys in 1954, with their brother Eric. With the addition of Latham, Mack and Sloane, and Roger Bush replacing Eric, they changed...
and The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, 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...
along with bassist John Kahn
John Kahn
John Kahn was an American rock bass player. For a period of about twenty five years Kahn was Jerry Garcia's principal collaborator outside of the Grateful Dead.-Biography:...
and drummer John Guerin
John Guerin
John Payne Guerin worked as a drummer, percussionist, and recording artist worldwide.Guerin was born in Hawaii and raised in San Diego. As a young drummer he began performing with Buddy DeFranco in 1960...
, who also worked for The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
.
Planned show with Bill Monroe
This lineup can be considered as a bluegrass supergroup, term not often used with bluegrass. The original start of the group was connected with Bill MonroeBill Monroe
William Smith Monroe was an American musician who created the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and bandleader...
, as Richard Greene (who played for his Bluegrass Boys before), was asked to put a band together a band to join him in a TV show. However, Monroe's bus had some technical problems and Muleskinner had to play the whole evening on their own and it was a success.
Recording contract
All this resulted in a recording contract with Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
and the band recorded its first studio album, A Potpourri of Bluegrass Jam
A Potpourri of Bluegrass Jam
A Potpourri of Bluegrass Jam is the only studio album by the progressive bluegrass supergroup Muleskinner, recorded at Record Plant, Hollywood, California, March 27 through April 14, 1973, released 1973 and re-issued on a compact disc in 1994....
, which included elements from jazz, country and progressive bluegrass. This recording can be noted as the first one in the bluegrass genre to include drums.
Clarence White death
The album was successful, but the band ended under tragic circumstances: guitarist Clarence WhiteClarence 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...
was killed by a drunken driver just couple of months after the record was released
The band also recorded a live album in 1973 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RkxpFvo__k&NR=1,
which was released 25 years later.
Discography
- A Potpourri of Bluegrass JamA Potpourri of Bluegrass JamA Potpourri of Bluegrass Jam is the only studio album by the progressive bluegrass supergroup Muleskinner, recorded at Record Plant, Hollywood, California, March 27 through April 14, 1973, released 1973 and re-issued on a compact disc in 1994....
(1973) - Muleskinner Live: Original Television SoundtrackMuleskinner Live: Original Television SoundtrackMuleskinner Live: Original Television Soundtrack is a live album by the progressive bluegrass supergroup Muleskinner.It was recorded in 1973 and originally broadcasted in the late '70s, but the album was not released sooner than 25 years later, in 1998....
(1998, recorded 1973)
Members
- David GrismanDavid GrismanDavid Grisman is an American bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist and composer of acoustic music. In the early 1990s, he started the Acoustic Disc record label in an effort to preserve and spread acoustic or instrumental music.-Biography:Grisman grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey...
- mandolin - Clarence WhiteClarence WhiteClarence White was a guitar player for Nashville West, The Byrds, Muleskinner, and the Kentucky Colonels. His parents were Acadians from New Brunswick, Canada...
- guitar, vocals - Richard Greene - violin, vocals
- Bill KeithBill Keith (musician)Bill Keith is a five-string banjoist who made a significant contribution to the stylistic development of the instrument. In the 1960s he introduced a variation on the popular "Scruggs style" of banjo playing which would soon become known as melodic style, or "Keith style." -Professional...
- banjo - John KahnJohn KahnJohn Kahn was an American rock bass player. For a period of about twenty five years Kahn was Jerry Garcia's principal collaborator outside of the Grateful Dead.-Biography:...
- bass - Peter Rowan - guitar, vocals
- John GuerinJohn GuerinJohn Payne Guerin worked as a drummer, percussionist, and recording artist worldwide.Guerin was born in Hawaii and raised in San Diego. As a young drummer he began performing with Buddy DeFranco in 1960...
- drums
- Stuart Schulman - bass
External links
- Muleskinner on You Tube