On the 50th anniversary of their groundbreaking album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Byrds co-founders, Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman will perform the album in its entirety and tell the stories that brought the album to life. They will also sing some other favorites from their long recording careers. The tour will stop in cities across the country including Los Angeles, Albany, and Akron (dates below, with more to be announced soon) and will kick off with a short performance of a few songs from Sweetheart of the Rodeo at Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam on June 6th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. McGuinn and Hillman will be joined on stage for the tour by country legends Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives. Stuart himself plays the famous 1954 Fender Telecaster originally owned by legendary country-rock pioneer Clarence White, a performer on Sweetheart of the Rodeo. For tickets and more details, see venue information below.
Sweetheart of the Rodeo is widely considered to be one of the most influential country-rock albums of all time, and credited with giving rise to the genre. In 2003, the album was ranked #117 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Albums.
“On March 9, 1968, Roger McGuinn and I along with many fantastic musicians began recording the Sweetheart of the Rodeo album at Columbia Studios in Nashville,” says Chris Hillman. ”It was truly a pivotal moment in our lives taking a turn toward the music we always felt a strong kinship with. We are honored that it has left a strong, long-lasting impression on country and rock music. To celebrate this special time with Roger, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives is such a blessing on this, the 50th anniversary of Sweetheart of the Rodeo.”
Sweetheart Of The Rodeo Tour Dates
July 24 /// Los Angeles, CA ///Ace Hotel
July 29 /// Saratoga, CA /// Mountain Winery
Sep 18 /// Albany, NY /// Hart Theater @ The Egg
Sep 20 /// Hopewell, VA /// Beacon Theatre
Oct 3 /// Akron, OH /// Akron Civic
More dates to be announced soon.
