Desert Rose Band

Infobox Musical artist
Name = The Desert Rose Band


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Background = group_or_band
Origin = California, United States
Genre = country, country rock
Years_active = 1985-1994
Label = MCA, Curb
Associated_acts = The Byrds
Flying Burrito Brothers
URL =
Past_members = Tom Brumley
Bill Bryson
Steve Duncan
Chris Hillman
John Jorgenson
Jay Dee Maness
Herb Pedersen
Jeff Ross
Tim Grogan

The Desert Rose Band was an American country rock band from California, founded by Chris Hillman (formerly of The Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers), along with Herb Pedersen and John Jorgenson, in 1985. Rounding out the original lineup were Bill Bryson (bass guitar), Jay Dee Maness (pedal steel guitar), and Steve Duncan (drums). In the 1980s and early 1990s, the band charted several singles on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts until disbanding in 1993.

Formation

The Desert Rose Band was formed in 1985 by frontman Chris Hillman, formerly a member of The Byrds, and later a member of the country-rock band Flying Burrito Brothers. Additional members included John Jorgenson, who was mainly responsible for the instrumental arrangements of the songs; Herb Pedersen for the vocal arrangements. Herb sang the high tenor part above Chris' tenor and each Desert Rose Band album featured Herb on one lead vocal.

Debut album

Their eponymous debut album was issued in 1987 on MCA/Curb. It contained their first hit, "Ashes of Love", which was originally a Johnny and Jack song from the early 1950s. It was the second time Chris and Herb recorded "Ashes of Love", the first being on Chris' Sugar Hill album "Desert Rose". Their debut also feature a remake of Chris Hillman's "Time Between", which he previously recorded as a member of The Byrds.

Their second album "Running" (1988) featured the John Hiatt-penned hit "She Don't Love Nobody", "Running", and a remake of Buck Owens' "Hello Trouble".

The third album "Pages of Life" featured a remake of "Desert Rose" as well as a remake of Herb's folk song about his daughter "Our Baby's Gone" which was originally recorded on his 1976 album "Southwest".

Jay Dee Maness left the band in 1990 and was replaced on pedal steel guitar by Tom Brumley whom Jay Dee replaced in the Buckaroos. Jay Dee Maness would again play with Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen on their post Desert Rose Band duo albums "Bakersfield Bound" and "Way Out West".

The fourth album, "True Love", was released in the early 1990s. It was followed by 1993's "Life Goes On", released only in Europe. Several prominent country and bluegrass musicians made guest appearances on "Life Goes" On including Sam Bush on fiddle, Tony Rice and Larry Park (of Boy Howdy) on guitar, and Al Perkins on dobro.

Post-Desert Rose Band

John Jorgenson and Steve Duncan left the band in 1991. John would go on to form the Hellecasters with Will Ray and Jerry Donahue; Duncan would join the Hellecasters as well. John Jorgenson is currently playing gypsy jazz with his John Jorgenson Quintette. Chris and Herb recorded an acoustic album called "The Other Side" in 2005 . They continue to tour as an acoustic duo. Tom Brumley is playing with Joey Riley's band in Branson, Missouri.

2008 Reunion

As of April 16, 2008, John Jorgenson's website reported two tour dates for the Desert Rose Band for 2008.

Jorgenson in fact performed with Chris Hillman and Herb Pederson on May 2nd at the Station Inn in Nashville. Chris said it was the first time they'd played together in 19 years. They went through a string of DRB hits, but were unable to play "He's Back & I'm Blue" because Chris forgot the words.

Additional Tour Dates are being listed on Chris Hillman's website http://chrishillman.com/tour_dates.html

As of August 18, 2008, they include two California dates in late August, including the Belly Up Saloon in Solana Beach near San Diego, and the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano; the Copper Mountain Music Festival at Copper Mountain, Colorado on August 31; and the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco on October 4.

Discography

Albums

ingles

*^A Reached #1 on U.S. "Radio & Records" (now "Mediabase 24/7") country singles charts. [ [http://mikecurb.com/about/no_1_records.cfm Mike Curb - #1 Records ] ]

References

* cite book
last = Humphrey
first = Mark
editor = Paul Kingsbury
title = The Encyclopedia of Country Music
location = New York
publisher = Oxford University Press
pages = pp. 143-4
isbn = 0-19-511671-2

External links

* [http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/desert_rose_band/artist.jhtml CMT.com profile]
* [http://www.chrishillman.com chrishillman.com]
* [http://www.herbpedersen.com herbpedersen.com]
* [http://www.johnjorgenson.com johnjorgenson.com]