The Dillards Albums (12)
'Live!!! Almost!!!'
Release Date 12/5/2006
Tracks 13
Label Collectables
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What The Critics Say
In the early 1960s, the Dillards were one of the first bluegrass acts to try to move the music out of the traditional confines of its Southern roots and into something closer to the mainstream, and Live!!! Almost!!!, recorded at an L.A. nightclub in 1964, plays like a clever and quite successful attempt to introduce bluegrass to the upscale folk audience who had embraced acts like the Kingston Trio, the Limelighters or the Smothers Brothers. The latter comparison is especially apt given the significant amount of playing time devoted to bassist Mitch Jayne's witty between-song banter, which doubtless helped the Dillards go over in nightclubs not frequented by bluegrass loyalists. As funny as Jayne is, what makes this album worth hearing today is the superb picking from Doug Dillard on the banjo, Rodney Dillard on the guitar and Dean Webb on the mandolin; these three musicians display a tremendous respect for the roots of this music as well as a melodic sense that leaves them space to explore new ground, and even bluegrass perennials like "Black-Eyed Susie," "Old Blue," and "Pretty Polly" get a fresh and exciting treatment here. And while these guys could play with dazzling speed, there's a sense of the value of each note in these performances, and Jim Dickson's stereo recording gives an admirable sense of the space and shape of this music on-stage. At this point, the Dillards were a few years away from their trail-blazing fusion of bluegrass and electric rock, and the "progressive" part of their progressive bluegrass stance was more felt than heard, but their talent and creative ambition were already clearly audible on Live!!! Almost!!!, and this album remains a joy to hear more than forty years on. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Varese's First Time Live compiles 16 live performances recorded in 1962 by the original lineup of the seminal bluegrass band. As should be expected, this is a gem in the rough, capturing the band as they're finding their distinctive voice. Even though this music was recorded within the band's first year of existence, the band is still surprisingly assured, yet their very newness keeps this fresh, vital, and exciting. A priceless dip into the vaults that's sure to thrill diehard Dillards fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Take Me Along for the Ride'
Release Date 1/1/1992
Tracks 12
Label Vanguard
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What The Critics Say
The Dillards' Rodney Dillard/Dean Webb/Mitch Jayne/Steve Cooley lineup recorded two albums for Vanguard in the early '90s. While 1990's excellent Let It Fly was primarily a country-rock effort, their next album, Take Me Along for the Ride, had more of a folk-rock outlook. That isn't to say that everything on this CD falls into the folk-rock category. "Food on the Table" and "Against the Grain" are among the country-rock offerings, and the lively instrumental "Wide Wide Dixie Highway" is a perfect example of the type of straight-ahead bluegrass that the Dillards became famous for in the early '60s. But if any style is ultimately dominant, it is folk-rock -- and those who enjoy hearing the Dillards as folk-rockers will find a lot to admire about tracks like "Banks of the Rouge Bayou," "Move On (Life of the Common Man)," and the sociopolitical title song (which is about those who feel like they are on the outside of the American dream looking in). One of the most interesting tracks is a cover of the Beatles' "In My Life," which receives an unlikely folk-rock makeover. Of course, there are still some bluegrass purists who resent the fact that the Dillards have recorded anything other than traditional straight-ahead bluegrass -- people who have that mindset wish they would stay away from folk-rock and country-rock. They would lament the fact that "Wide Wide Dixie Highway" isn't typical of the album on the whole. But then, Rodney Dillard probably would have become bored if he had to play traditional acoustic bluegrass 100 percent of the time. And for those who have eclectic tastes, the Dillards' versatility is a plus. Although not quite essential, Take Me Along for the Ride was a solid and rewarding addition to the Dillards' catalog. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Over the years, the Dillards have had their share of personnel changes. When they recorded Let It Fly for Vanguard in 1990, the main participants were founding member Rodney Dillard (lead vocals), Steve Cooley (acoustic guitar, banjo), Dean Webb (mandolin), and Mitch Jayne (who co-wrote a few of the tunes). Produced by the Desert Rose Band's Herb Pedersen, Let It Fly is really more country-rock than bluegrass -- no one will mistake this CD for a collection of Bill Monroe recordings from the '40s. Let It Fly, which favors a blend of acoustic and electric instruments, doesn't cater to bluegrass purists. But then, the Dillards quit catering to bluegrass purists in the '60s when they started using electric instruments. Let It Fly should be judged by country-rock standards -- not traditional bluegrass standards -- and when country-rock standards are applied, one realizes that the album is excellent. Although bluegrass purists will be disappointed to learn that Let It Fly is far from a carbon copy of the Dillards' earliest recordings, country-rock items like "Out on a Limb," "Livin' in the House," and "Close the Door Lightly" have more heart than most of the slick, contrived stuff that country radio was playing in the early '90s. Rodney Dillard is expressive and convincing throughout the album, and in a perfect world, Let It Fly would have received a lot of airplay on country radio. But country radio didn't give this release the time of day. And while that was regrettable, it certainly wasn't the end of the world. The Dillards still had plenty of hardcore fans, and those are the people who bought Let It Fly. Arguably, Let It Fly is the best album that the Dillards provided in the '90s. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Homecoming & Family Reunion'
Release Date 1/1/1980
Tracks 13
Label Flying Fish
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What The Critics Say
This is a pleasant album of several Dillard generations live at a picnic. ~ Mark A. Humphrey, All Music Guide
'Tribute to the American Duck'
Release Date 1/1/1973
Tracks 10
Label Poppy
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What The Critics Say
The Dillards' second album with rock-influenced arrangements was not as barrier-busting as 1968's Wheatstraw Suite, and further removed from their bluegrass roots. However, it was a similarly eclectic and, for the most part, joyous romp through a fusion of bluegrass, rock, folk, and country, with a bit of pop and orchestration along the ride, and the group's superb vocal harmonies being the main constant. "Touch Her If You Can" was the number with the most pop and orchestration, and worked extremely well, with its achingly sad melody. If anything the Dillards did on Elektra could have been a hit single, this would have been a likely candidate. Their unusual a cappella arrangement of the Beatles' "Yesterday" caught some attention, and "Brother John" is another simultaneous detour and highlight, with its Dave Brubeck-influenced jazzy rhythms and guitar picking that recalled the Byrds' psychedelic era. While other tracks, like the bluegrass tune "Old Man at the Mill" and Eric Andersen's "Close the Door Lightly," were more in the standard country-rock mode, they're also good, with the musicians applying care and creative production to the material throughout the disc. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It never got any better than this. In 1968, as the Byrds were making valiant (if unappreciated) efforts to bring rock and country music closer together, the Dillards were trying to do some of the same for bluegrass and rock. The result was 13 all-but-perfect tracks mixing some pretty laid-back topicality ("Hey Boys") and humor ("The Biggest Whatever"), cowboy songs ("Single Saddle," which Gene Autry should have covered), just plain gorgeous poetry ("Lemon Chimes"), and a couple of unexpected covers ("I've Just Seen a Face," "Reason to Believe"), with arrangements that exude a delicate, subdued lushness ("Listen to the Sound") and an element of electric rock (courtesy of Joe Osborn on electric bass and Jim Gordon on drums) that worked perfectly. In many ways, this is a finer rural/rock fusion album than Sweetheart of the Rodeo, the first Flying Burrito Brothers album, or the Beau Brummels' efforts during this same period, and an indispensable part of any collection of '60s music. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
