Biography
Fiddler Byron Berline, much like his fellow musician Vassar Clements, broadened the auditory range of bluegrass by weaving in jazz, pop, blues, rock, and traditional country textures. Beyond his success as a solo performer, he contributed studio work to numerous projects, among them releases by the Flying Burrito Brothers, Stephen Stills, the Dillards, Emmylou Harris, and James Taylor.
Berline acquired his fiddling skills from his father, an old-time practitioner of the instrument. Upon finishing high school he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, where he performed with a campus folk ensemble. In 1963 the Dillards staged a concert on that same campus; a friend arranged an audition with Doug Dillard, who immediately invited the young musician to sit in on one number. Berline next became a member of the Cleveland Country Ramblers, and in 1964 he appeared on the Dillards’ Pickin’ and Fiddlin’, claimed the National Fiddle Championship in Missoula, Missouri, and performed at the Newport Folk Festival. There he encountered Bill Monroe, who expressed a desire for Berline to join the Blue Grass Boys. After receiving his B.A. in education in 1967, Berline chose to accept Monroe’s offer; his debut performance with the group took place at the Grand Ole Opry. Six months later he entered the Army.
Shortly before his discharge in 1969, Berline received an invitation to join the Dillard & Clark Expedition, remaining with the ensemble until its dissolution in 1971. During that period he also recorded sessions for other artists, including the Flying Burrito Brothers’ debut album The Gilded Palace of Sin. After Dillard & Clark disbanded, Berline played with the Dillard Expedition. In 1970 he composed the score for the ABC television film Run Simon Run, the first of several motion pictures he would score. He toured in 1971 with a reconstituted version of the Flying Burrito Brothers, and afterward he joined fellow band members Roger Bush and Kenny Wertz to form Country Gazette. Session engagements continued during these years, encompassing albums by Gram Parsons, Bert Jansch, Ian Matthews & Southern Comfort, and Bill Wyman.
Berline departed Country Gazette in 1975 and relocated with his family to Los Angeles, intending to focus on songwriting, session work, and film scoring. Later that year he established Sundance alongside Dan Crary, Jack Skinner, John Hickman, Allen Wald, and Skip Conover; in 1976 Vince Gill and Mark Cohen joined the lineup. The group issued one self-titled album in 1976 before dissolving. Toward the end of the decade Berline assembled Crary and Hickman for a Japanese tour, after which the three recorded three albums for Sugar Hill; concurrently Berline launched the L.A. Fiddle Band.
In 1980 Berline created the production company BCH with Crary and Hickman and issued the solo album Outrageous on Flying Fish. The L.A. Fiddle Band released its own self-titled album for Sugar Hill in 1981. Berline contributed to Chris Hillman’s 1984 album Desert Rose and to a 1986 collection of duets with fiddler Hickman. Two years later Berline, Crary, and Hickman renamed their trio BCH, added bassist Steve Spurgin, and issued Now They Are Four in 1988. Mandolinist/guitarist John Moore joined in 1990; the ensemble then adopted the name California and released its debut album Traveler in 1992. Berline also continued to issue his own recordings, among them Fiddle & a Song (1995) and Flatbroke Fiddler (2005). In later years he owned and operated Byron’s Double Stop Fiddle Shop and Music Hall in Guthrie, Oklahoma, which sold an array of stringed instruments and hosted performances by the Byron Berline Band, the ensemble the fiddler had formed in 1996. Byron Berline died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on July 10, 2021, at age 77 from complications following a stroke.
Berline acquired his fiddling skills from his father, an old-time practitioner of the instrument. Upon finishing high school he enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, where he performed with a campus folk ensemble. In 1963 the Dillards staged a concert on that same campus; a friend arranged an audition with Doug Dillard, who immediately invited the young musician to sit in on one number. Berline next became a member of the Cleveland Country Ramblers, and in 1964 he appeared on the Dillards’ Pickin’ and Fiddlin’, claimed the National Fiddle Championship in Missoula, Missouri, and performed at the Newport Folk Festival. There he encountered Bill Monroe, who expressed a desire for Berline to join the Blue Grass Boys. After receiving his B.A. in education in 1967, Berline chose to accept Monroe’s offer; his debut performance with the group took place at the Grand Ole Opry. Six months later he entered the Army.
Shortly before his discharge in 1969, Berline received an invitation to join the Dillard & Clark Expedition, remaining with the ensemble until its dissolution in 1971. During that period he also recorded sessions for other artists, including the Flying Burrito Brothers’ debut album The Gilded Palace of Sin. After Dillard & Clark disbanded, Berline played with the Dillard Expedition. In 1970 he composed the score for the ABC television film Run Simon Run, the first of several motion pictures he would score. He toured in 1971 with a reconstituted version of the Flying Burrito Brothers, and afterward he joined fellow band members Roger Bush and Kenny Wertz to form Country Gazette. Session engagements continued during these years, encompassing albums by Gram Parsons, Bert Jansch, Ian Matthews & Southern Comfort, and Bill Wyman.
Berline departed Country Gazette in 1975 and relocated with his family to Los Angeles, intending to focus on songwriting, session work, and film scoring. Later that year he established Sundance alongside Dan Crary, Jack Skinner, John Hickman, Allen Wald, and Skip Conover; in 1976 Vince Gill and Mark Cohen joined the lineup. The group issued one self-titled album in 1976 before dissolving. Toward the end of the decade Berline assembled Crary and Hickman for a Japanese tour, after which the three recorded three albums for Sugar Hill; concurrently Berline launched the L.A. Fiddle Band.
In 1980 Berline created the production company BCH with Crary and Hickman and issued the solo album Outrageous on Flying Fish. The L.A. Fiddle Band released its own self-titled album for Sugar Hill in 1981. Berline contributed to Chris Hillman’s 1984 album Desert Rose and to a 1986 collection of duets with fiddler Hickman. Two years later Berline, Crary, and Hickman renamed their trio BCH, added bassist Steve Spurgin, and issued Now They Are Four in 1988. Mandolinist/guitarist John Moore joined in 1990; the ensemble then adopted the name California and released its debut album Traveler in 1992. Berline also continued to issue his own recordings, among them Fiddle & a Song (1995) and Flatbroke Fiddler (2005). In later years he owned and operated Byron’s Double Stop Fiddle Shop and Music Hall in Guthrie, Oklahoma, which sold an array of stringed instruments and hosted performances by the Byron Berline Band, the ensemble the fiddler had formed in 1996. Byron Berline died in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on July 10, 2021, at age 77 from complications following a stroke.
Albums
