Photo of the month:

Gene Clark circa 1967 (photo courtesy of Virginia Howard).

NEWS

NOVEMBER is GENE CLARK MONTH! We're celebrating Gene's birthday all month long with some very special events, but first up is a very important announcement! 

Harold Eugene Clark first attained notoriety in 1963 as a member of the New Christy Minstrels. Within a year and a half, Clark achieved worldwide stardom as a founding member of The Byrds.  During his tenure as the band’s principal songwriter, Clark appeared on their biggest hits (“Mr. Tambourine Man,” “Turn! Turn! Turn!” both #1 on Billboard) and penned many of their most beloved songs such as, “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better,” “Set You Free This Time,” and “She Don’t Care About Time.

After leaving the Byrds at the height of their fame, Clark launched a solo career that embraced everything from Baroque pop (Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, 1967) and progressive bluegrass (The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark, 1968) to acoustic ballads (White Light, 1971) and cosmic prog (No Other, 1974). His songs have been covered by performers, including Linda Ronstadt (“He Darked the Sun”), Tom Petty (“I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better”), The Eagles (“Train Leaves Here This Morning”), Robert Plant/Alison Krauss “Polly Come Home,” and “Through the Morning Through the Night”).

Shortly before his death in 1991, Gene Clark was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Byrds.  He lies buried in St. Andrew's Catholic Cemetery in Tipton, Moniteau County, Missouri.

The award ceremony is free and open to the public and will be held at:

The St. Joseph Museum

3406 Frederick Ave.

St. Joseph, Missouri, 64506 USA

[US +] (816) 232-8471

Saturday, November 24, 2018 (Thanksgiving weekend) from 5:30-7:00 PM

This year’s ceremony continues the recognition of the tremendous impact that Missouri has on the international music scene.

N.B. This year, the master of ceremonies will be Travis Urban, host the weekly program, “Country Memories.” That program is produced and airs on St. Joseph’s KFOH-FM, 99.3 every Saturday, from 10 AM-1 PM. Hall of Fame president, Anthony Glise, will not be able to attend for logistic reasons, but there will be a live video feed between the ceremony and Glise’s second home in France in order for him to introduce Mr. Urban to the audience and share in the event from across the Atlantic.

CONGRATULATIONS TO GENE ON THIS VERY SPECIAL AWARD. SPECIAL THANKS TO WAYNE KASPER, LESLEY ALLEN, TOM SANDFORD AND PAUL KENDALL FOR THEIR HELP WITH THE NOMINATION PROCESS.

New in the Archives

Gene's birth announcement!

This Western Union Telegram was sent to Sgt. Kelly Clark while he was stationed overseas from Gene's maternal grandmother to announce the birth of his son. Gene was born at his grandparents home in Tipton, MO.
BABY BOY ARRIVED ELEVEN PM NOV 17 JEANNE AND BABY FINE - MRS P FAHERTY

Western Union Telegram sent from Tipton, MO to Sgt. Kelly G. Clark announcing the brith of his son at 11pm on November 17, 1944. Inset photo, Jeanne Clark with her eldest daughter Bonita (Bonnie) and baby boy Harold Eugene. Photographs courtesy of The Clark Family.

GIVEAWAYS - we've got 'em!

In celebration of Gene's birthday on November 17, Echoes is giving a bunch o' Gene stuff! Here's what you can win and how:

***PLEASE NOTE: ONLY ONE WINNER PER CATEGORY. WINNERS IN ONE CATEGORY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A DIFFERENT CATEGORY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION. GOOD LUCK!***

I've listened to the radio all the music that is on...

SPECIAL FEATURE

In keeping with our White Light celebration this month, Echoes speaks with session man and singer-songwriter, GARY MALLABER about his recollections of working with Gene and Jesse Ed Davis for the White Light sessions.

Who approached you to work on the White Light album?

Jesse Ed Davis. I was living in his garage studio.

Where were you in your career as a musician at that time?

24/7, LA was on fire! Recording almost everyday!

Had you met Gene before or was this the first time you met him?

1st time ever! I was already well aware of The Byrds, the members, how they recorded, their hits! Also, I had already met David Crosby at singer/composer Ned Doheny's house in Benedict Canyon. 

Do you recall how the songs developed? Were there rehearsals or many takes in the studio?

Hit it all first time in studio, something we are used to. I was (and still am) symphonically trained but never used it. That first day in the studio was an overview of what we were going to achieve and Gene was "on it". Also Gene and Jesse shared a liking for Van Morrison and the work I had accomplished with him already.

What do you recall about the session and the other musicians you worked with (Jesse Ed Davis, Chris Etheridge, Mike Utley, Ben Sidran and Gene Clark)?

Thrilling!!!! Everything I wanted to be doing I had been allowed in that "circle" purely from all my Van Morrison recordings. Best I remember, Gene was absolutely groomed and projected a grateful character knowing Jesse had assembled a serious set of musicians ready to work all night if necessary, to achieve their shared musical visions. It was a respect meets respect all the way around and I detected no sign of any "star" behavior. We then just hit the songs one by one. I really wish we had spent more time together, I would have liked to become a closer friend to Gene. But that's the industry, someone yells "that's a wrap" and we go back to that corner of the world we know. Would love to have seen Gene again and losing Jesse really hurt the heart!

Legend has it that during the recording sessions for one of the songs an earthquake hit. Were you there when that happened? If so, what do you recall?

It was an after-shock from the big one in February 1971 around 5:30 am. I was in Jesse's garage sleeping then I remember saying the words "OH CRAP!" and "Please NO!!". Everything kept moving in the following weeks. I hated it because I was never subjected to something like that before. When it occurred in the studio Jesse started to laugh. It was a short one but still rattled everyone.

What are your thoughts of Jesse Ed Davis as a producer?

Jesse Ed was Wonderful! Was and is still one of my Favorites!

Do you have any favorite tracks from the album?

Must and will re-listen. For the record Gene was great to all of us!

Out on the Side

Events

​​​​​In The Plan

• "Who's Who" List of people associated with Gene Clark to be added to the website.

All I Want

• "Backstage Pass" - Did you see Gene perform in concert with the Byrds or solo? Echoes is always looking for recollections from fans who met Gene at a show and maybe even snapped a photo or two. Email: GeneClarkWebsite@gmail.com if you have anything you'd like to share.

• Guest Blog Spot - Do you have a talent for writing? Have you always wanted to write about your favorite Gene Clark album, or share your interpretions of his songs? If you would like to submit an interesting blog piece about Gene Clark for our website, please contact Echoes at GeneClarkWebsite@gmail.com with your pitch, Echoes would love to hear from you!

Orpheus with his lute made trees, and the mountain tops that freeze, bow themselves, when he did sing: To his music plants and flowers ever sprung; as sun and showers there had made a lasting spring. Every thing that heard him play, even the billows of the sea, hung their heads, and then lay by. In sweet music is such art, killing care and grief of heart fall asleep, or hearing, die.

– Henry VII, William Shakespeare (photo: Wayne Kasper, 2017).

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