Hearts and Flowers
Hearts & Flowers was a Los Angeles folk-rock club band, perhaps most significant as one of the groups that launched the career of Eagles' founding member and guitarist-songwriter, Bernie Leadon. The lineup included Larry Murray (vocals, guitar), Dave Dawson (vocals, guitar, autoharp) and Rick Cunha (vocals, guitar). Leadon replaced Cunha on their second album in 1968. Among venues they played during the mid-1960s, were Los Angeles clubs Ledbetter's, Doug Weston's Troubadour, and the Ashgrove. After recording two albums without major success, the group disbanded in 1968.
Hearts and Flowers released two good LA country folk-rock records in the late 60′s and left behind a plethora of outtakes. Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women from 1968 is arguably their crowning achievement. Larry Murray, Dave Dawson and Rick Cunha had made up the first lineup of Hearts and Flowers, all coming from an early to mid 60′s folk mindset. In the summer of 67 they released Now Is The Time For…. to critical acclaim. By the time of their second album Bernie Leadon of Eagles, Flying Burrito Brothers, and Dillard & Clark fame had replaced Rick Cunha.
Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women has a few strong covers in Highway In The Wind and She Sang Hymns Out Of Tune. The harmonies were radiant and the band preferred acoustic instruments over electric. Some of the compositions have attractive string, harpischord and horn arrangements. But it is the originals that really grab the ear.
Second Hand Sundown Queen, When I Was A Cowboy, Legend Of Ol’Tenbrookes and the beautiful Extra Extra medley are classy, early country rock songs that have definitely stood the test of time well. The sound here is very close to the quieter moments on Buffalo Springfield’s Last Time Around or even the Beau Brummels on their fabulous Triangle album.
Hearts and Flowers were one of the most eclectic groups on the Southern California folk-rock scene in the '60s, skewing more to the folk side of the equation and often adding flourishes of psychedelia and, most importantly, bluegrass and country music. The group was founded by guitarist Larry Murray, a Georgia native who had come to California in the late '50s and played with a bluegrass group called the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. At various points, the Barkers' membership included Chris Hillman and Bernie Leadon, and they recorded a rare album for Crown in 1962 before breaking up. Murray went on to play in several other bands, including another one with Hillman called the Green Grass Group, before forming Hearts and Flowers with vocalist/guitarist Dave Dawson and vocalist Rick Cunha, who had worked together as a folk duo in Hawaii. The trio played the Los Angeles club scene, sometimes by themselves, sometimes with a rhythm section, and eventually landed a deal with Capitol. Their debut album, Now Is the Time for Hearts and Flowers, was released in 1967 and echoed work by the Byrds, the Stone Poneys, and the Dillards. Its eclectic originals and wide-ranging taste in covers meant that it didn't sell very well, however, and at Capitol's urging, the group underwent an overhaul, adding Terry Paul and Dan Woody to flesh out their live sound, though both left before the group completed its second album. So too did Cunha, who was replaced on guitar by Leadon. The group's sophomore effort, Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women, was released in 1968 and featured more elements of pop and psychedelia than their debut, in spite of the fact that the band had taken to playing folk-rock arrangements of country tunes almost exclusively at their live shows. Of Horses didn't sell either, and the group disbanded not long afterward. Murray and Cunha both went on to release solo country-rock albums.
Hearts and Flowers released two good LA country folk-rock records in the late 60′s and left behind a plethora of outtakes. Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women from 1968 is arguably their crowning achievement. Larry Murray, Dave Dawson and Rick Cunha had made up the first lineup of Hearts and Flowers, all coming from an early to mid 60′s folk mindset. In the summer of 67 they released Now Is The Time For…. to critical acclaim. By the time of their second album Bernie Leadon of Eagles, Flying Burrito Brothers, and Dillard & Clark fame had replaced Rick Cunha.
Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women has a few strong covers in Highway In The Wind and She Sang Hymns Out Of Tune. The harmonies were radiant and the band preferred acoustic instruments over electric. Some of the compositions have attractive string, harpischord and horn arrangements. But it is the originals that really grab the ear.
Second Hand Sundown Queen, When I Was A Cowboy, Legend Of Ol’Tenbrookes and the beautiful Extra Extra medley are classy, early country rock songs that have definitely stood the test of time well. The sound here is very close to the quieter moments on Buffalo Springfield’s Last Time Around or even the Beau Brummels on their fabulous Triangle album.
Hearts and Flowers were one of the most eclectic groups on the Southern California folk-rock scene in the '60s, skewing more to the folk side of the equation and often adding flourishes of psychedelia and, most importantly, bluegrass and country music. The group was founded by guitarist Larry Murray, a Georgia native who had come to California in the late '50s and played with a bluegrass group called the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers. At various points, the Barkers' membership included Chris Hillman and Bernie Leadon, and they recorded a rare album for Crown in 1962 before breaking up. Murray went on to play in several other bands, including another one with Hillman called the Green Grass Group, before forming Hearts and Flowers with vocalist/guitarist Dave Dawson and vocalist Rick Cunha, who had worked together as a folk duo in Hawaii. The trio played the Los Angeles club scene, sometimes by themselves, sometimes with a rhythm section, and eventually landed a deal with Capitol. Their debut album, Now Is the Time for Hearts and Flowers, was released in 1967 and echoed work by the Byrds, the Stone Poneys, and the Dillards. Its eclectic originals and wide-ranging taste in covers meant that it didn't sell very well, however, and at Capitol's urging, the group underwent an overhaul, adding Terry Paul and Dan Woody to flesh out their live sound, though both left before the group completed its second album. So too did Cunha, who was replaced on guitar by Leadon. The group's sophomore effort, Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women, was released in 1968 and featured more elements of pop and psychedelia than their debut, in spite of the fact that the band had taken to playing folk-rock arrangements of country tunes almost exclusively at their live shows. Of Horses didn't sell either, and the group disbanded not long afterward. Murray and Cunha both went on to release solo country-rock albums.
No comments:
Post a Comment