Pickin' Up the Pieces: The Heart and Soul of Country Rock Pioneer Richie Furay
by Richie Furay, Michael Roberts
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Book Summary Information
Author: Michael Roberts, Richie FurayEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-18
ISBN: 1578569575
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Book Reviews of Pickin' Up the Pieces: The Heart and Soul of Country Rock Pioneer Richie Furay
Book Review: Just Wish There Was A Little More Country Rock
Summary: 5 Stars
A couple of years back I had the good fortune of "working" elbow-to-elbow with Richie at a Poco-Richie Furay-Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen show in Southern California. In between Richie's joshing of me selling Chris and Herb cds and mine of his selling his solo works, I found Richie to be warm, gregarious and funny -not to mention a great singer, though not as good as Chris! <g>
Seriously, this is the candid biography of one of the chief pioneers - along with Hillman, Gram Parsons, Gene Clark, Larry Murray, Clarence White and Rick Nelson of that splendid genre known as California Country Rock. While an autobiography, it is also a chronicle of a time and a place so dear to many of us who can relate to the lyrics of the Eagles' "Sad Cafe" or John Beland's "California Jukebox". Richie's tale is a candid one, of sometimes just barely avoiding that "dark side" that claimed Gram, an old friend of his from even prior to the Buffalo Springfield!, of witnessing tensions between his friends and bandmates Stephen Stills and Neil Young in the Springfield; and then there's Poco.
While I do strongly disagree with Richie's contention that Poco was the first Country Rock band (Hillman was singing Country songs in the Byrds even before Gram and the "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album, also, the Burritos came on the scene slightly before Poco with a more edgy, more countrified sound), his contributions to the genre (remember "A Good Feeling to Know"?) cannot be denied. Richie also cast light on what happened with Souther-Hillman-Furay, (although I wish he had written more about that group - he was going through a lot when he joined together with J.D. Souther and Hillman)and his passages about the brilliant drummer but mentally unbalanced man Jim Gordon are poignant. Furay also talks about his brief return to the reunited Poco, and why he chose to left them.
Above all, Furay talks about his relationship with God, specifically Jesus, and how he came to know Christ through the almost unlikely way of joining a Rock (Country Rock) group. In S-H-F, he met the great steel, dobro, and guitar player Al Perkins, (whom Hillman had brought along with him from Furay's old Springfield partner Stephen Stills' Manassas). Perkins helped Furay get through some dark patches and to paraphase Hillman, "carried him through when he had his doubts" - and when his wife had left him. How he found the Lord, and renewed his Loving relationship with his wife is a focal point of this book.
Throughout it all, Richie is a man full of enthusiasm for life and his love of wife, family and God. He will also admit faults and weaknesses, but is also stubborn in his believes and principles (in fact, he chose to leave the reunited Poco because of conflicts between what the band was doing and his Christian lifestyle). A man certainly cannot be faulted but very much admired for that.
A much more pleasant read than the recent John Einarson's gripping biography of the doomed Gene Clark, a contemporary of Richie's. Hope Richie isn't offended, but I wished there were more vignettes of California Country Rock and just a little bit less of (his relationship with) Jesus.
Summary of Pickin' Up the Pieces: The Heart and Soul of Country Rock Pioneer Richie Furay
When a young Richie Furay moved to New York hoping to make it big in folk music, God wasn?t one of his concerns. But destiny was.Later, when he started Buffalo Springfield with Neil Young and Stephen Stills, it seemed Furay?s destiny had finally arrived. Although the band recorded only three albums, it remains a touchstone of sixties rock music?with all five band members now enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Furay remained a musical pioneer, forming Poco and recording some of the first?and best?country rock music of the sixties and seventies. His work was a major influence on the Eagles and innumerable other bands. But he still had not found his destiny.
It wasn?t until his marriage almost disintegrated that Furay confronted his need for God. After co-founding two legendary bands and recording with a rock super-group, Richie Furay finally found his destiny. The long journey took him from sold-out arena concerts to the pulpit of a Colorado church, from rock royalty to the Rock of Ages.
Destiny is often found in the places where we?re not looking. As you follow the twists and turns in Richie Furay?s inspiring journey, you?ll gain fresh insight into your own.
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