560. Barry McGuire 

That was just some darned good music! And, thanks for pointing out who's doing solos and other musical landmarks and features. It's too easy for me to get lost in the song and have a solo go by without even noticing. So, thanks for being our knowledgeable tour guide on these musical road trips! Stay safe and stay well!

Little known fact, Barry moved his family to New Zealand for a while in early to mid 80’s. As a young bass player just starting out, the band I was in at the time played a festival know as Summer Harvest. We finished our set for the night and we were introduced to the next “esteemed Guest performer” As a 22 year old, I had no idea who this giant of a Man was, but wow, his 12 string acoustic guitar started his 30 minute set with 12 strings and ended with probably about 6. Barry’s vocals and guitar playing were so powerful the substantial front of house sound was barely needed! Following this night I found out a whole lot more about Barry and met several times subsequently. Hands down, the most humble, grounded, gentle giant both in stature and of the music industry I have ever met. What an inspiration, I would love to know where he is now in his 80’s - I am now in Perth Western Australia for 27 years - an active bass player and still cite Barry M as a huge influence and inspiration to keep playing as I now start feeling the affects of playing bass, pushing past perceived obstacles and inspired by remembering the journey to where I am now thanks to Barry M - inspired by Lee, and many that have helped pave the way for many of us!!

Brother, you have been blessed with walking with and through, and really touching so much history, and good folks. Besides, making it fun to be himmed up in our caves thru this time! ✌

I've owned these albums since they came out, and really enjoyed them. They sound as good now as before. THis video helps to explain why they were so good....with these great players contributing and the great writing.

What a shock to find out that Leland Sklar played on one of my songs! I wrote “When the Mist Has Rolled Away” back in 1972. My wife to be, Dee, and I worked with Barry for about a year before he went to LA to work with Buck Herring. I wrote a handful of songs with Barry also. Dee and I had songs on Barry’s first Christian album “Seeds.” But I never knew that the legend Leland Sklar had ever played on one of my songs; how cool!!!

Seeds is still my #1 favorite Christian album. Nothing has topped it in all these decades.

Thanks for posting about Barry and the "chainsaw haircut" story. You continue to blow my mind how many of my favorite albums you have played on. My best memory of Barry McGuire was from 1976. I had an older buddy, a hardcore biker, and the two of us would go to weekly concerts in town. We were the only two concert goers who rolled in each week on chopped Harleys and park by the front doors of the venue. My buddy was particularly excited to hear Barry perform that night. I looked up and saw the producer and Barry walking across the parking lot towards us. My buddy had no idea what Barry looked like, and when Barry eyed our Harleys he belted out, "How's it going guys?" My buddy responded, "Man, things are great! I'm totally excited to hear Barry McGuire tonight!!! I hear the dude is great!" Barry looked at my buddy and grinning ear-to-ear and he said, "Ohhhh he is!!! He is!!!" The producer and I are both chuckling under our breath. When the concert started and Barry took the stage, my buddy looked at me confused and said, "That's the dude from the parking lot. Who is he?" I smiled at my friend and said, "That's Barry McGuire." Barry was indeed a down-to-earth guy and so talented and so authentic. Thanks for the post Lee!

Spent time with Barry when I was involved with New Earth Concerts and the Agapé Force in Christian ministry in the ‘70s and later in the ‘80s. Still play the music from then, what a source of joy. What a presence Barry has. And truly full of God’s spirit His awesome voice and a lovely man. His response to “Eve of Destruction” was a song he wrote is “Don’t Blame God For the Sins of America” on the album“Seeds” A great album that also launched the 2nd Chapter of Acts as well.

I had the privilege of meeting Barry and sharing the stage with Barry. 2nd Capter of Acts, and Jamie Owens-Collins when I was on tour with my group, "New Hope", as we toured in Holland back in the mid seventies. Barry and the Second Chapter of Acts were on tour there during the same time and we opened for them in a joint concert in Holland. What a big heart and voice he had/has! Truly one of a kind!

Love me some Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of Acts and Hammond B3!

Barry did the original version of California Dreaming, but the label released the one by the Mammas and Pappas, which went on to be a huge hit. I have always wondered how that would have impacted Barry's career and life if he was the one who had the chart topper with his version.

I remember Larry Norman also speaking fondly of Barry McGuire when I saw him back in 1984. Thank you for sharing this beautiful music, Lee!

I still got the vinyl album 'lighten up' with Barry Mcguire and listened 2 it almost every day as a teenager. I often wondered who the musicians were that played on this production and today I think I appreciate the album even more now that Leland has shared some of the inside information reg. how this record came around. Wow!! This kind of music isn't around anymore... I also loved the way Jim Gordon played his kit and Mike Deasy on guitar and Leland Sklar of course on bass, what a treat!!

I love Barry's Cosmic Cowboy

Barry wrote "If I Had A Hammer"?? The 1st song I learned on ukulele in 60s! What??? And Arthur Blessitt is still carrying his cross, a big cross, all over the world, literally! Great guy! Wow! (Arthur's a friend of a friend....real deal. I'm sure he knew Andrae.) ❤✌

And again: Thank you Lee, for interesting stoirytelling and very fine music with your great bassfeel on!

That song at 20:54 is great, it's the third time I'm listening to it already. Thanks, Lee for posting these, I've never have heard this and many other great tunes without following the channel.

Barry laying out the Gospel with the emotion he had in his protest tunes plus some nice scat vocals

Great stuff!!!! Barry McGuire! Great songs!!! Just a smoking album all the way through. Prophetic and religious or not, it speaks to all people of this planet. ❤️🎉✴️🐶🐶

Thanks again for another great walk down musical memory lane. My kids were raised on Barry’s children’s albums like Polka Dot Bear and others.

Hello Leland. Enjoying many of your vids. I'm not sure if your eye fell on the wrong spot but you said Eve of Destruction was 37 on the Billboard 200. I believe it went to no.1, which makes more sense for the Beatles comment immediately after. I hung out with Barry in Billings MT for a couple hours because I promoted his concert there. Great and warm guy. Easy to talk to. I've seen you a couple times in concert with Jackson Browne and with JT.

Barry helped create what became known as Jesus Music. It gave young Christian musicians something to play besides gospel. At the time it was important for me to play a rock beat. I almost sold all my gear after joining the church. I changed my mind after hearing Barry, Michael Omartian and other Christian artists.

When he says that Barry did a "remake" of Eve of Destruction" on "Lighten UP" that may be misleading. He did another song with the same kind of end of the world theme, but it wasn't "Eve of Destruction" done again, it was "Don't Blame God" which is a great song and you can find it on RU-vid.

This reminds me of the Joe South/Ray Stevens "tent revival" period....

Good day Lee and everyone else out there.

I hear a little bit of Dave Brubeck's, Take 5, in the song Hey World

Evening Lee & all From another soggy day in Epping, UK Cheers Barry 🎸

Actually, when the Wrecking Crew recorded Eve Of Destruction they put on the rough vocal which was never intended to be the final vocal but it was. The song hit #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the UK Singles Chart in September 1965.

Wow! Great lesson Lee and GREAT music. Did not know any of this information! Glad to see you got to chat again!! Life's too short....

Good evening everybody! I was listening to this in the car when my daughter got in and she said: Leland should read audio books. And I agree. 😁

incredible organ solo

Thank you again for opening my eyes and ears to a new world that was so familiar to me years ago.

Lovely to see you, Lee. Man, do I need your post tonight - been a crazy day. Your posts always bring me to a calmer space and educate me along the way. (Excellent recordings those - really pack a punch!)

Another great set of songs to keep us entertained. Thank you so much Lee for bringing us all this wonderful music. It sounds so fresh and up to date. 👍

Thank you, Leland, for this session. I haven't thought about Barry McGuire in awhile, so it was a treat to hear his voice again. I love being able to hear the lyrics so clearly. Even though I have had all my vaccine, I am still double masking. Have a great evening everyone, stay safe🤗

Yes Lee you have opened my eyes to the session musician and how much they deserve Massive Respect and research. Fun reads as well.

Second song I've heard of Barry's. Thanks Leland. I'm not longer a one song man for Barry. He's really good. Hi KnuckleHeads and Immediate Family. Love ya Folks! Doug from you know where.

I do look all those people up, and it's all extremely interesting seeing as one hell of a lot of them pop up on the credits on most of my music library, but I'm always eager to learn more.

Hahaha....I hope yall made it out of there without having to use that pool cue? Lol

Good evening here, Leland and everyone!

George's guitar might weep. Mike's is wailing.

Provoking and Soulful ! Thanks as Always!

BMcG - another 1 hit wonder who had a long and interesting career in music in spite of it. Eve Of Destruction was in that ‘protest song’ league with Country Joe & The Fish’s I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-To-Die-Rag, Buffalo Springfield’s For What It’s Worth and CSNY’s Ohio (amongst a few others). Those songs resonated so much at the time with the backdrop of the Vietnam War, the JFK/RFK/MLK assassinations, Kent State, the draft (and draft lottery), Chicago’s Mayor Daly with his shoot-to-kill orders at the ‘68 Democratic Convention, and Tricky Dick & Watergate. Honourable mention to Ritchie Havens Freedom and Joan Baez’s cover of Joe Hill at Woodstock, too. Barry McGuire is up there with all of them.

Leland, I noticed that you read an excerpt of Barry’s bio from Wikipedia where it mentioned that Barry became a born-again Christian in 1971 after his encounter with evangelist Arthur Blessitt. While I don’t dispute Wikipedia’s account of Barry meeting Arthur Blessitt, I do know that the Agape Force (an evangelical Christian ministry) was also a big influence on Barry’s Christianity as well. The reason I am bringing this up is because the Agape Force had a music group called Candle. In 1977, they produced an album called, To The Chief Musician, Volume 2. You and Jim Hughart were credited for having played bass on that album even though the credits did not specify which of the songs you and Jim specifically played on. The Executive Producers of that album were Billy Ray Hearn & Tony Salerno. The album was produced and arranged by Jimmy Owens. The other guys in the rhythm section were, Bill Maxwell on drums, Danny Tims on keyboards, Bud Shank on flute, and Jay Leach and Mike Deasy on guitar. I know that this was a long time ago and that you have worked on hundreds of projects. But would you by any chance remember working on this project? If so, could you tell us about it? Thanks.

When fellow Oklahoma born songwriter Jimmy Webb says you’re a great songwriter you have to think about that! Love your stories!

The richness of music is following the rivers and tributaries of the players from the albums you’ve loved. You start to recognize names like distant relatives that become friends and family members. Michael O’Martian I first noticed on Larry Carlton’s Singing/Playing album (where I first became aware that someone else spelled their name like I did - producer Rik Pekkonan!) I was first aware of Mike Deasy on Cannonball Adderley’s Black Messiah double album - he had this great solo on Little Benny Hen. I’d later find this old album (at the time I’d discovered it) called Gator Creek that included Michael O’Martian, Mike Deasy and his wife Kathy, Ray Neapolitan and a young Kenny Loggins! This was a 1970 release. NGDB’s Uncle Charlie and his Dog Teddy was released that year with four Loggins compositions on it but it wasn’t until ‘71’s “Sittin’ In” album that Kenny was first heard doing his own material. Then you check out his backing players - the rhythm section of Larry Sims (bass) & Merle Bregante had been in the Sunshine Company (Their big hit was “Back On The Street Again” written by Steve Gillette - and four of the songs he wrote or first recorded appeared on The Stone Poneys first two albums. The rabbit hole extends from there. And it’s a never ending journey! ;-)

Met Barry several times, what a down to earth brother. We ate a bunch of Kentucky Fried Chicken!! :)

Another artist with a distinctive voice

Boy have you brought back a lot memories I haven't thought about in a long time. I was a soundman in the 70's and worked with the Talbot brothers ( separately) and Barry among others. Barry had an incredible presence and his lust for life and positive out look I remember to this day. I did a concert with Mike Deasy, Jerry Scheff and Ronnie Tutt at a correctional facility and the power went out. Ronnie did a 15 minute or drum so solo in a darkened hall! Any memories you'd like to share about Karla Bonoff? Thank you for your excellent channel.

Man, that song brings back memories. It was only 3 or 4 days ago when I thought of that line "We shall know as we are known." Now I hear the song, first time in about 40 years. Can't be just me that this happens to. I love Barry's Christian songs -- very down to earth and genuine. Gene Clark was a New Christy Minstrel at the same time McGuire was (see on YT). I always loved Gene's voice. AND, his [prolific] songwriting was some of the very best that ever came out of that era (e.g., "Set You Free This Time"). IMO, his work was better than most of Lennon-McCartney. That may be sacrilege, but still true.

Eve of Destruction. Great great song. That tune Creeque Alley always goes through my mind if I hear about him. "Mcquinn and McGuire couldn't get no higher in LA you know where that's at...." 💤

Hello all. Larry Knechtel played on everything and was in Bread!

Joe Osborn...Eve Of Destruction. Hey Lee I got a shot last wk! If you guys come to New England (Boston) I’m coming in to say hello to you in person. I can’t to get the hell outta the house!

Great stuff..gonna go listen to the full album..thanks for sharing. Stay safe🖕

Someone did a counter to Eve of Destruction called Dawn of Correction. Was funny

I remember Barry very well. I bought the EP with the song Eve of Destruction in 1965, a very strong tune. I still have it saved.

I find myself on Wikipedia looking up so many musicians I was unfamiliar with. Thank you! Stay safe and healthy everyone! 🦋🌻🦋

Another song to become an earworm. I"m still stuck on Out in the Country by Paul Williams. Thank you for sharing all these great songs.

It's hard to communicate how huge Eve of Destruction was at the time unless you lived through it.....especially here in the Bay Area (Berkeley / SF) 1965. Thanks Lee ✌

Thank You Lee 👍🏻

So, I'm doing this search on RU-vid for Barry McGuire to see if he's still alive and I come across this video here. I'm thinking this ain't Barry McGuire who is he? Well, I listened for a little bit, and it appears that he's some kind of musician who knows just about everybody secular or religious, but I have no idea who this bearded hippie is. And yes, I'm 65 years old I've seen Barry McGuire live more than once Keith Green more than once Phil Keaggy more than once during the Jesus movement in the 70s and early 80s, Second Chapter of Acts more than once - in church and elsewhere in Eugene OR, but I still don't know who this bearded guy is.

Hey World..... a little Doors/Allman Brothersesque????(@21:40ish). Cool groove Barry!!!!

Hello lee everyone😁✌

Good morning, Lee! 🤗 hope you have a great week....

Lelands thumb looks like a cyclops

Found Paul Williams on RU-vid doing Game Shows in the 70s. FUNNY!

God I hate slugs. Having grown up in Seattle and the great Northwest, they were always something to deal with...crawling up the sides of the tent at summer camp....eating the lettuce in the garden. A bowl of beer works very well...they love it and fall in....At least they die Happy.....🙄😁

Bob Stane, who used to run and book Ice House now is at Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena. Can't wait to see shows there again post pandemic.

Hi, Leland have a great week!

Great job, I deeply remember The Eve of Destruction and the impression on me. Have a great dat day everyone

Hello Lee, very interesting revisiting Barry McGuire. His song was all over the airwaves when we were still listening to R&R on AM radio. If memory serves me wasn't he mentioned in the Mama & Papa's song Crequee Alley ? " McGuinn & Maguire , just a getting higher in L A, you know where that's at, and no one's getting fat, except Mama Cass."

I an starting to think that you reside at the center of a huge web of your creating

Germany? 🤔 Maybe photos for an upcoming tour? Our maybe the start of selling the beard T-shirts in Europe? And the Book? I guess I have to teach myself in patience… not my area of expertise 😬😬😬

Lee I think your beard has a twin down here, was setting up to record an i/v this morning and your beard walked in, and I don't mean the Tee Shirt

Cut your hair with a chain saw?..Know nothing about that..But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night..Thanks for posting Barry McGuire..

Enjoy your sessions

Lee I love it when you say I AM WOMEN

Lee, I was going to ask you, did you ever play for Hoyt Axton? My Griffin Is Gone is still one of my favorite albums -- but that particular title may have predated your studio career. Great post today, Lee.

I Remember the randy spark's groups gave us quite a few performers....

Hi everyone! 😊

Has Barry found the missing wheel?

He’s known for that gruff voice, but he can sound very clear and almost pretty. On How Many Times you can hear his Oklahoma roots - almost like Leon Russell.

Hey, Lee and everybody! This episode was such a wild ride with the stories. About cutting your hair with a chainsaw - maybe you shouldn't knock it until you try it. A good chainsaw trim has always done my hair wonders.

Eve of Destruction was one of the first tunes my dad taught me when I was kid.

Evening Leland

Never heard them but loved em. Interesting. Thanks again and much appreciated 🖕🖕🖕

Lee you're definitely a city boy!

Here's a link to Barry (with John York) doing Eve Of Destruction -- the first (of what ended up being 8 or 9) time(s) he played for my now defunct concert series (AMSDconcerts): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1QodRgSAjY0.html Every time Lee posts something about an artist he's played with who'd also played for my concert series (of which there've been quite a few!)............suffice it to say that I feel like an 8 year old Little League player who somehow got a hit in Game 7 of the World Series.

That thumbnail for the video 😱

Citizen Sklar, I am disappointed that you did not play Eve of Destruction. But, it occurred to me that, if you got tired of presenting people, or just wanted some variety, you could do videos on the most famous, best-selling songs that you played on. You could also do one on the most obscure, least successful songs you played on (but maybe avoid naming people so that you didn't hurt their feelings). Say "hi" to the boys for me.

see y’all

Were you playing through a Leslie on “How Many Times”, or was that a pedal? Great songs! Thank you for sharing Lee!

The GREATS!!!!

HELLO KNUCLE HEADS DADDY LOVES YOU LEE'S TRIBE OF SINGERS 💘💘💘💘

Lee type session musician in to google and hit enter.

Your thumbnail looks like a Picasso. ;-)

Get videos with Phil Collins

😎👍❤🖖 Love brother

Ewwww Barry Scattin!!!!!