The Byrds speak on

Roger McGuinn

Chris Hillman - Triste - 2003

 Chris Hillman: I didn't take what you said wrong, I was just giving you my take on it, and I wouldn't comment. Roger, basically, has been responsible for some of the greatest songs in the history of pop music, as you well know. '8 Miles High' he co-wrote with Crosby and Gene Clarke - and 'You Showed Me', and all these wonderful songs. I don't know what he does now, but basically his show is doing old Byrd songs, which is fine because he was the lead singer and he's very good at that.

David Crosby - Musicangle 2004

Credit where it's due: that was Dickson's idea. And he was also responsible for turning us onto the Dylan material. He knew a number of people that we didn't know and through one of 'em got a demo of Dylan and Ramblin' Jack (Elliot) doing a truly awful version of "Tambourine Man. Neither one of those guys could sing. We can certainly improve on that! And we did!

Obviously I did the harmony and my harmonies don't sound like other people because I'm weird. Roger has a true gift for taking a song and rearranging it into his style. That was The Byrds' style. He is, I mean always was the essence of The Byrds. The rest of us contributed and I'm not belittling anyone's contributions but Roger was the main deal.

Gene Clark - Cosmic American Music News 1992

'One night, I noticed this guy off in a corner playing Beatles songs on an acoustic guitar. That was McGuinn. Well, I thought he was on the right track because nobody at these places was playing Beatles songs. McGuinn and I got together and we talked about doing a duet. My hair was already growing longer, and he decided to grow his hair long, and we began playing and writing together.' 'David introduced us to Jim (Dickson), who heard us and saw something in what we were doing. We went into the studio as a trio and cut some demos.'

Chris Hillman - Connect Savannah, Jim Reed, November 2008

I still love to play concerts, but I don't like to travel much. I don't know anyone who does anymore! McGuinn has really go the touring thing down, though. He and his wife have a nice, big van of a thing and they just take off and go. When the show's over, they're back on the road, and they love it. And his shows are very good. I don't know if you've ever had a chance to see him in concert, but he's always been a great showman. So, yeah, I'm really semi-retired, but I still love to play. I don't play golf, though. As Mark Twain said, it's -a good walk spoiled.- (laughs)