Chris Darrow
| Chris Darrow | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Christopher Lloyd Darrow |
| Born |
July 30, 1944 Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
| Genres | Rock music, country rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass, fiddle, violin, banjo, resonator guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Associated acts | The Dry City Scat Band, Kaleidoscope, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band |
| Website | www |
Christopher Lloyd Darrow is an American multi-instrumentalist. He is considered to be a pioneer of country rock music in the late sixties, and performed and recorded with numerous groups including Kaleidoscope and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Darrow was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Claremont, California, listening to Ritchie Valens and the Everly Brothers on the radio. He began playing ukulele, but purchased his first guitar at age 13. His father Paul had played clarinet with traditional jazz band The Mentor Street Maniacs.
Attending Pitzer College, Darrow spent two years assisting folklorist Guy Carawan, who taught American Folk Life Studies. Darrow's interest in folk and bluegrass music sparked the formation of his first band, the Reorganized Dry City Players in 1963, followed by the Mad Mountain Ramblers.
In 1964, Darrow formed the bluegrass band The Dry City Scat Band with David Lindley, Richard Greene, Steve Cahill, and Pete Madlem. In 1964, the Scat Band performed regullarly at Disneyland and at the Ash Grove in Hollywood.
Darrow also attended Claremont graduate school, getting his master's degree in art. During this time, Darrow met fellow bluegrass artist Chris Hillman, and Hillman's transition to playing rock music with The Byrds had a profound effect on Darrow.
Darrow's first rock band was the Floggs, which also included Roger Palos (bass), Bill Stamps (lead guitar), Tommy Salisbury (drums), and Hugh Kohler (keyboards).
Darrow then joined Lindley in the psychedelic band Kaleidoscope, which also included Solomon Feldthouse and Max Buda. The band blended Middle Eastern, country, folk, blues and psychedelia, incorporating the Turkish oud and saz. Darrow, who composed and sang lead vocal on a number of songs, quit Kaleidoscope shortly after completion of Beacon From Mars.
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Wikipedia