Roger McGuinn on Bob Costas full interview [1991] 

What an amazing man…a gift to all of us that listen to good music….I hope he lives forever.

I wrote Jim/Roger a thank you in the mid 90s as a young teenager for all the fantastic music he made and told him how much I enjoyed his work (I tracked down all their LPs my mom didn't own over a year or two) and he was kind enough to write back. Great interview!

He is very humble and down to earth. Such a talented guitarist and I love his voice.

I had the privilege of meeting Roger over 25 years ago when he was on tour promoting the reissue of the entire The Byrd’s catalog what a great guy and what a great show that night. Thanks for the Music Roger!! 🎸

This is such a fantastic interview. Bob Costas is superb, and Roger McGuinn ‘s extraordinary musical gifts and creativity and authenticity shine. So grateful to Roger 14:39 McGuinn for his inspiration.

My favorite, always, always "Chestnut Mare" picks one up, takes one somewhere and then brings one back... satisfying. Grateful 🙏 Thank you ~♡~

What a guy eh!!??? Few have the humble and pure personality this man does....thank GOD for level headed artists LIKE this fellow

In the late 90’s, Roger was touring with Judy Collins, Janis Ian, and Richie Havens. I went to the Cohasset Music Circus to buy tickets, and Roger was doing his sound checks. The girl in the ticket office said, “That’s one of them-I don’t know which one.” I said, “That’s Roger McGuinn on his Rickenbacker 12-string. There’s no other sound in the world like that.”

Roger McGuinn - Undoubtedly one of the greats with an unmistakable sound that identifies the Byrds. Fortunate enough to have seen him as a school kid when the Byrds toured South Africa in 1968. Whenever I hear the opening riff on Turn Turn Turn my heart skips a beat. We in the world of music can only admire and strive to be like him. His distinctive sound will ring through rock history forever. Agree with Margie and Mondo E.- "a kind gentleman and good soul"

McGuinn still rocks to the moon and back. Long Live James Joseph "Roger" McGuinn III.

McGuinn has been my hero since I was a kid. 'The Ballad of Easy Rider' is just beyond brilliant. No song has ever come as close to how emotional this song feels to me. What a gift.

GREAT INTERVIEW!!!! First time I hear Mcguinn speak and loved him! Thanks for posting this!!🙏🏻

A great interview with Roger McGuinn, one of the greats of rocknroll and all around decent guy. Got to see him solo in a bar I worked at circa 1983 in Blacksburg VA. He was such a kind gentleman and good soul to all of us restaurant staff!!

Besides being the greatest 12-String guitarist, he is one of the most humble successful people I've ever seen. Compare that to nowadays the way successful people generally act.

Saw him same year as this interview, for free at a goofy Virginia Beach theme park. He was playing with an outstanding band of his fellow Christian brothers. I've seen Cream, Jimi, Doors, and Beates live and this McGuinn concert was in that rarified atmosphere, just superb. It was a blast.

Good interview... got to meet him in the early 90's when he was performing in Penn's Landing, Pa. leader and navigator of one of the most influential bands ever!🎤🎼🎶🎶🎸🎸🎸🥁

Imagine the 60's, and everything that came after, without Roger McGuinn. He was so influential.

Always loved the jingle jangle sound of the Byrd's.

How good was it to hear the Ballad of ER in that acoustic version ?!? Great to hear Roger and such a humble, softly spoken man who is so generous in his praise for his fellow musicians. 100% Legend

I had the pleasure of meeting him in 1993 when he was performing a solo concert at Penn's Landing, Penna. at a outdoor amplatheater . great human being and musician. 🎤🎶🎶🎶🎸 THE BYRDS FOREVER!

Costas had a great show. I loved staying up and watching it back in those days. This one with McGuinn was a particularly great episode!

This guy is a genius. Saw his Folk Den tour in the early 2000s. He played loads of Byrds songs!

Mcguinn and his music have had such an influence on my life since I heard that riff in 65,saw him a few times,Pocklington Nr York England,coffee shop on Chestnut St Philadelphia,love Gunga Din another aeroplane song

Love this interview!

Nice guy; terrific interview.

Just tonight on Dan Rather's The Big Interview, David Byrne said the song that really effected him as a kid was the Byrds Mr Tambourine Man. Dylans's lyrics and the sound of the Byrds who sounded like no one else

I love everything about Roger Mcguinn. Thanks for this!

Costas is such a great interviewer

A pal of mine saw him live in Birmingham, UK, about 2018. Said it was the best gig he'd been to, and he's been to more than a few across many genres of music.

Fantastic!!!

Still great as ever, you can watch him via his RU-vid channel. Certainly someone I look up to within the world of music.

Is there anybody better than the Byrds? Not in my world.

So cool of a guy.

Reminds me of when Dylan said of Hendrix's "Watchtower" "It's his now".

Roger with a Guild- rare moment!

Ive really enjoyed this Video of Roger , Great ! Kind Thanks

I love that album.

Legend. When the Byrd's went back to England with McGuinn and a different line up , which included Clarence White, the great one, ( and less the negative press) they blew them away.

That right there is Solid Gold !!!

Next to the Beatles-my favorite all time group

Great voice!

How can it be that at least in this RU-vid clip Chris Hillman isn't mentioned, even in passing.. The least known member of three seminal bands that were the genesis of three original music genres. Can't get better than that.

He came to Wales,UK-- we taught him how to prenounce ' Rhymney' properly!!! ' Rumney Rog! We shouted! He looked baffled! He was great! He had been singing ' Rimney' for years!! The song is about Welsh towns. The Rhymney' valley is in Wales.

I didn't know Roger was such a good guitar player.

great guy. he still tours. see him

Thanks for posting this! Eight Miles High will always be a song like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds for us, no matter who says it's not a song about getting high. That's part of the beauty of it for us. Oh yeah..Sure thing....it's just a song about an airplane ride or a child's picture...right...that's all it is....no connection at all....total coincidence....um hmm...

Classy guy .

Costas gave a really asked good questions. Too bad he's not on TV anymore.

What a BLAST it would have been to belong to group such as! Experimenting all hours! If it sounded good: Use it - And GO PLAY IT!✌

Haha, wow... Costas: "(Turn, Turn, Turn)...seems like a fairly simple song..." What a jackazz.

Great album, "McGuinn, Clark, and Hillman".

Sandy Denny sang on a great version of Ballad of Easy Rider with Fairport Convention.

Wonderful - esp when he plays Turn Turn Turn

Thanksgiving dinner huh?..Guess it could've been worse they coulda been named The Tyrkeys.

Costa is a bit behind the ball on the history of McGuinn. He had just come off a stint with Bobby Darin when he formed the Byrds. No mention of the fact that McGuinn performed all the instruments on their first album. The tiff that broke up the Byrds was one of the most impactful situations for a band. Gene Clark left first (he didn't like to fly) and then Crosby. I caught the four founding members (absent Gene) in a Cow Palace revue in '68 or so and treasure that experience. As much as McGuinn talks about commercial considerations, in my view, McGuinn wanted to stay folkie when Dylan went electric and commercial!

Nice boots, Roger! ✌❤

8 Miles High is powerful.

Roger McGuinn he is my favourite person

I thought “Eight Miles High” was about an astronaut’s space travel. The x-15 was launched from the b-52 about 8 miles high.

Quite a bit different than Crosby as far having a true sense of grace. I could see how he and Cros could have definitely clashed.

After all the LSD this dude did...he looks great 👍

Why did you cut out the music? The producers new what people wanted to hear. Apparently you don't

The Byrds were a fantastic group, in many ways my favorite group, but only when it was the original members--at least, until it was down to the final three or four of them, it was still The Byrds. After McGuinn maintained the name and recorded with other players in the band, I don't accept that as legitimately The Byrds. I don't care if they were good musicians joining him or that they might have been more consistent in live performance. The Byrds were unique in their sound, their instrumentation and vocals, only when there were original members involved with McGuinn. Regarding this video, Bob Costas is a good interviewer overall, but he doesn't really register much emotion or enthusiasm in this type of interview. He shows he has read some bio or history accounts, but he doesn't show love or excitement about the music, though I suspect he has some. That's a weakness that makes the interviewer side of this too flat even when he's asking good questions.

Dylan either can't or won't sing in key! Massive respect for Mcguinn tho and he seems like a nice guy too....

Coffeehouse folkie Backed Bobby Darin Studio musician for Judy Collins and Simon & Garfunkel Played folk at the Troubadour in L.A. The Notorious Byrd Brothers Untitled / Unissued Better Country Rock than Gram Parsons A lot of music from back then got stale. Most of McQuinn's has stayed fresh.

Influenced by The Beatles huh? Never knew that.

Read my comments then watch this "interview" again.

I thought Bob Costas was a Sports broadcaster

Costas comes across as if he knows all this info on rock and smug with his arm hanging over the chair and leg up just like he’s just one of the gang.

Earl Scruggs

Bach ... again!

3:18 " You appeared, and so did David Crosby.." Yeah so did Gene Clark! Maybe also mention Chris Hillman and (I think Michael Clarke is playing drums as well). Gene may have passed by the time of this interview..or not (d. May 24 1991). BUT, Roger is feeding people A LOAD here - and Costas isn't helping. I respect Roger's role in the band, but in the name of R&R (and great music in general) give Gene credit once in awhile! Gene's song writing and musicianship etc. was absolutely KEY to their success! In a recent Documentary called "The Byrd That Flew Alone" about Gene. Crosby and Hillman finally give Gene his due .- Mcguinn lets out a little more truth but still keeps up his appearance...Mcmmercy Mcguinn!

The best interview with the worst interviewer in history. Why Bob?

Thank you BOB......was watching.....appreciate it....

Roger is great, Costa is a jag off

Love Roger, but he’s on so,e stimulants here…that’s why he’s nerve racked

dylan stole most of his songs...................................fact !

Love the album RIO a great artist thanks

The interviewer came off as rather condescending. What do you folks greater than 60 think.? The Byrds influenced me to learn to play and write music as a universal language. The Byrds aped no one but they influenced so many bands for the las 50 years.

The Beatles The Byrds and The Beach Boys were all neck and neck for about a year and a half. Then the Byrds sort of imploded and Brian Wilson had a meltdown.