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About the video
A Douglas Dillard original that he says came to him in a dream. He must have
had a can of whoop ass before bed because he really kicks butt on this one!
About the artist
Doug Dillard was one of the pre-eminent ambassadors of bluegrass banjo during
the '60s and '70s, incorporating pop, folk, and country-rock material into his
repertoire and supporting a wide variety of artists with those sensibilities. Born in
Salem, MO, in 1937, Dillard started playing bluegrass early on, eventually
teaming with his younger brother, Rodney. The duo made their first recordings in
1958, then played with several bands before forming their own group, the
Dillards. In 1962, the Dillards relocated to Los Angeles, where they quickly
landed a deal with Elektra and issued a string of groundbreaking albums over
the rest of the '60s. The Dillards were among the first bluegrass groups to use
amplified instruments, and they also had highly eclectic taste in covers, drawing
from pop and rock as well as traditional material. Dillard was active outside the
group as well, working with a side project called the Folkswingers, backing
ex-Byrd Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, and collaborating with Rodney on
material for the Bonnie & Clyde soundtrack in 1967.
Later in 1967, Dillard left the band he'd co-founded to pursue new projects. He
recorded a solo LP, The Banjo Album, in 1968, which featured backing by
several rock musicians, including Gene Clark and Bernie Leadon. Dillard soon
formed a partnership with Clark, and recording with a backing band as Dillard &
Clark, the two cut some of the earliest country-rock material in existence. Two
groundbreaking albums followed before Clark went solo in 1970, and Dillard
briefly reorganized the remaining band as the Doug Dillard Expedition, which
contributed a song to the soundtrack of 1971's Vanishing Point. Dillard soon
resumed his solo career, however, taking occasional session gigs and signing
with 20th Century. He released two solo albums -- Duelin' Banjo and Douglas
Flint Dillard -- You Don't Need a Reason to Sing -- in 1973 and 1974,
respectively. In 1977, he re-teamed with brother Rodney and John Hartford in
Dillard-Hartford-Dillard, who recorded two albums for Flying Fish in 1977 and
1980. Dillard himself released two LPs on the same label: the 1979 gospel effort
Heaven and the concert set Jackrabbit in 1980. During the '80s, he performed
regularly with the Doug Dillard Band and also recorded sporadically; Flying Fish
released What's That? in 1986 and Heartbreak Hotel three years later. ~ Steve
Huey, All Music Guide