Clarence White

Clarence White was a gifted guitarist who was one of the pioneers of country-rock in the late '60s. Although died young, his work with <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:5aV6tDnBgmezgCSTvL5HnV">the Kentucky Colonels</a>, among others, remained celebrated among country-rock and bluegrass aficionados in the decades following his death.

Born in Maine but raised in California, White began playing the guitar at an early age, joining his brothers' band, <a href="spotify:artist:4mE9J86AGGldqLRa4ymTgb">the Country Boys</a>, when he was just ten years old. The band eventually evolved into <a href="spotify:artist:5aV6tDnBgmezgCSTvL5HnV">the Kentucky Colonels</a>. Clarence left <a href="spotify:artist:5aV6tDnBgmezgCSTvL5HnV">the Colonels</a> in the mid-'60s, becoming a session musician; he played electric guitar on many rock and pop albums. He also began playing with the duo of Gib Gilbeau and <a href="spotify:artist:0rjpJb7rUMt806t6RCf8ch">Gene Parsons</a> in local California clubs. Gilbeau and <a href="spotify:artist:0rjpJb7rUMt806t6RCf8ch">Parsons</a> frequently worked with the Gosdin Brothers, so the duo was able to land a cameo appearance for White on the Gene Clark With the Gosdin Brothers album. Around the same time, Clarence recorded a solo album for Bakersfield International which the label didn't release.

In 1968, White joined <a href="spotify:artist:4DBaq6gaHqyxPCuuQSHou0">Nashville West</a>, which also featured <a href="spotify:artist:0rjpJb7rUMt806t6RCf8ch">Gene Parsons</a>, Gib Gilbeau, <a href="spotify:artist:5VJJqNy6l5zfX9LpLit5N0">Sneaky Pete Kleinow</a>, Glen D. Hardin, and <a href="spotify:artist:6mmDKCXWUg7tvB5UGjtNr7">Wayne Moore</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:4DBaq6gaHqyxPCuuQSHou0">Nashville West</a> recorded an album for Sierra Records, but the record didn't appear until 1978. White was invited to join <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> in the fall of 1968. <a href="spotify:artist:3ExrAwcOqgGjt9kFRwdM76">Roger McGuinn</a> was rebuilding <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a>' lineup after the departure of <a href="spotify:artist:70FybmH2MMz9fHewhnLvjs">Chris Hillman</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1KA3WXYMPLxomNuoE22LYd">Gram Parsons</a>, who went on to form <a href="spotify:artist:0rESpKEusFHxhW59MIf7eM">the Flying Burrito Brothers</a>. Clarence White fit into the revamped <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">Byrds</a>' country-rock direction. He played on the group's untitled album, which spawned the single "Chestnut Mare." While he was with the band, he continued to work as a session musician, playing on <a href="spotify:artist:3HQyFCFFfJO3KKBlUfZsyW">Randy Newman</a>'s 12 Songs (1970), <a href="spotify:artist:3pFCERyEiP5xeN2EsPXhjI">Joe Cocker</a>'s eponymous 1969 album, and <a href="spotify:artist:4ACplpEqD6JIVgKrafauzs">the Everly Brothers</a>' Stories Would Could Tell (1971), among others.

Once <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> disbanded in 1973, Clarence White continued his session work and joined <a href="spotify:artist:4bRCPEdQ8XgpBJwXv1WzgM">Muleskinner</a>, which also featured <a href="spotify:artist:5udgy2xk333j33hKnwDz8O">David Grisman</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:52FOkBVb83F2QduWKRqmhm">Peter Rowan</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4FLaYc3rU0BbqJ3sD8zUvl">John Guerin</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:27ZRQw8IaAtWeQYacgnfDP">Bill Keith</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:78wcNdGPVbyg6gPtNjjNC3">John Kahn</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5tc9xcv0phfVRO4TT2yxs5">Richard Greene</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:4bRCPEdQ8XgpBJwXv1WzgM">Muleskinner</a> only released one album, which appeared later in 1973.

After the <a href="spotify:artist:4bRCPEdQ8XgpBJwXv1WzgM">Muleskinner</a> record was finished, White played a few dates with <a href="spotify:artist:5aV6tDnBgmezgCSTvL5HnV">the Kentucky Colonels</a> and began working on a solo album. He had only completed four tracks when he was killed by a drunken driver while he was loading equipment onto a van; he died on July 14, 1973. Following his death, several posthumous albums of his work with <a href="spotify:artist:5aV6tDnBgmezgCSTvL5HnV">the Kentucky Colonels</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> appeared, as did various albums that featured his playing, including <a href="spotify:artist:5lkiCO9UQ8B23dZ1o0UV4m">Jackson Browne</a>'s Late for the Sky and <a href="spotify:artist:0rjpJb7rUMt806t6RCf8ch">Gene Parsons</a>' Kindling. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi