THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS
Rick Roberts, Eric Dalton, Alan Munde, Don Beck
Byron Berline, Roger Bush, Kenny Wertz
THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS |
Following the departure of Chris & Al the band still had commitments to fulfill, especially a tour of Holland and Scandinavia where they had become huge favourites confirming the band had always been more popular in Europe than in the USA. Rick recruited another former Dillard & Clark member, Don Beck for the pedal steel duties and Eric Dalton took over on drums and after hurried rehearsals flew to Holland for the tour in February and March 1972.
By this time the typical Burrito show, now known as "The Hot Burrito Revue", consisted of Rick performing the best known songs from the band's history adding a few new additions to the setlist including one song written by Rick "I Already Know" which remains unrecorded by Rick as a studio version, and the remainder of the show was given over to the bluegrass musicians, already recording under the name of "Country Gazette", playing mostly familiar instrumental tunes by the likes of Flatt & Scuggs etc.
The major show in Holland was at the "Concertgebouw" in Amsterdam on March and unknown to Rick at the time the whole show had been recorded which soon emerged as a bootleg LP titled "Sin City".
Later under pressure from the Dutch based record label Rick agreed that the show could be released officially, but in Holland only, and in 1973 Ariola released a double LP set "Live In Amsterdam" containing most of the show.
 |
THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS - Live In Amsterdam |
|---|---|
|
- THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS: Live In Amsterdam (2 LP) ARIOLA 86439 (HOLLAND) 1972 / BUMBLE GEXD 301 (UK) 1973 / PHILLIPS 6641-144 (UK/ HOLLAND) 1973 Band: Rick Roberts, Byron Berline, Kenny Wertz, Alan Munde, Roger Bush, Don Beck & Eric Dalton
Tracks: |
In 1974 the double album titled was reissued as two single albums "In Concert" & "Bluegrass Special" was put out by Ariola under the Burrito name with the secong LP containing the complete "Country Gazette" segment with several songs not on the original 2 LP set.
Rick was never happy about the quality of the live recording and is convinced that the bootleg was actually a record company ploy to get an official recording released, certainly the albums were easy to come by outside of Holland.
 |
THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS - reissues |  |
|---|---|---|
|
- THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS: Bluegrass Special (Live In Amsterdam) (ARIOLA 86501 (HOLLAND) 1972) The complete "Country Gazette" set from the Amsterdam Concertgebuow show including some songs not on the 2 LP "Live In Amsterdam" set.
Tracks:
- THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS: Live In Concert (ARIOLA 25000ET (HOLLAND) 1972) |
 THE FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS |
In Holland even though the band were now no more the Flying Burrito Brothers had almost legendary status and following an offer for one final tour Rick resurrected the band using the same musicians as 1972 except that Sneaky Pete returned on Steel replacing Don Beck.
Playing similar shows to the 1972 tour although the bluegrass influence was even greater because of the continuation of "Country Gazette" and lack of rehearsal for the Burrito material, the tour was a success with a couple of shows recorded and broadcast on various Dutch radio stations.
The tour over, individual projects and careers were resumed but considering how popular the band were in Holland it is fitting that the first era of the Flying Burrito Brothers should end there.
2013 Byron Berline & Jane Frost wrote a fantastic book about Byron Berline's career! A MUST HAVE for every Country Gazette, Flying Burrito Brothers, Dillards, Clarence White, Gram Parsons .... fan!
Forty years of journal entries document the L.A. recording industry from the Rolling Stones to the Byrds, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. They include hilarious stories of being one of the most sought after session players on the west coast, by three time National Fiddle Champion, Byron Berline, a Flying Burrito Brother who founded Country Gazette, The L.A. Fiddle Band and Sundance. His avoidance and survival of the drug-filled music industry, is amazing and heart lifting. His stories of the road are hilarious and the detailed journal entries are a researchers dream. From earthquakes to scoring motion pictures and having some of Charles Manson's Family in his home, this autobiography is the account of an Oklahoma farm boy's life and career -- from entering the University of Oklahoma on a football scholarship and graduating with a javelin in one hand and a fiddle in the other. It continues through acting in movies and his time playing/recording with Bill Monroe, Mickey Mouse, Linda Ronstadt, Emmy Lou Harris, Vince Gill, Mark O'Connor, Doug Dillard, Rod Stewart, Ann Murray, Earl Scruggs, and the Eagles, to his spiraling success as a musician, husband and father. Byron Berline, A Fiddler's Diary, is a peek inside the music industry as only an "A" list insider could explicitly describe. For baby-boomers, it is a dance down memory lane, with all the music and recording artists we love. His story is abundantly entertaining with enough documentation to be considered a reference work. Byron continues to tour, run his Doublestop Fiddle Shop and produces about twenty shows a year at his Music Hall in Guthrie, Oklahoma, as well as being the founder of the annual Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival and Guthrie's annual Western Swing Festival. Byron continues to perform, record and write, with the same intensity and enthusiasm he has always maintained. He remains... "one of the most inventive fiddle players." In February, 2013, Grammy nominated, Byron Berline, received his highest recognition to date, being inducted into the National Fiddler's Hall of Fame. In genuine humble response, he invites everyone to, "Stop by the fiddle shop and say, HI" |
 A Fiddler's Diary |