Biography
Under the Guilbeau & Parsons moniker, Gib Guilbeau and Gene Parsons issued only a pair of little-known singles during 1967-1968. Their wider recording and performing history, however, along with their part in shaping country-rock, reaches well beyond those limited releases. Throughout the mid- and late 1960s the two musicians contributed to many singles and albums, sometimes credited under their own names and at other times supporting additional performers; these efforts either anticipated or coincided with the country-rock explorations later associated with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and fellow Southern California acts. Gene Parsons himself entered the Byrds lineup in 1968, as did guitarist Clarence White, with whom both Guilbeau and Parsons had frequently collaborated in the studio and on stage. Guilbeau later left his imprint on roots-country-rock through Swampwater, the group that recorded several numbers originally cut by Guilbeau & Parsons, and through his subsequent stint with the Flying Burrito Brothers.
The tangled story opened in 1963 when multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Parsons entered the Castaways, a Southern California ensemble that already featured fellow multi-instrumentalist and singer Gib Guilbeau, a Louisiana native active in the area since the late 1950s. The Castaways maintained a broad repertoire encompassing country among other styles and cut two singles for GNP Crescendo in 1964, though Parsons did not participate on those sides. Guilbeau and Parsons separated briefly in the middle of the decade after Gib returned to Louisiana for six weeks; he soon came back to California, however, and assembled the Reasons (occasionally billed as the Fabulous Reasons) in Palmdale, where the band performed regularly in the desert region east of Los Angeles. Parsons rejoined the group on drums, the instrument he played after having handled bass duties in the Castaways.
An extensive live calendar with the Reasons, combined with the musicians’ diverse backgrounds, wide-ranging tastes, and emerging songwriting skills, produced a then-unusual fusion of country, rock, folk, pop, Cajun, and R&B. Guilbeau, Parsons, and Reasons bassist Wayne Moore channeled some of this experimentation into frequent studio work. Recording in shifting configurations for producer Gary Paxton and often backing other artists, these sessions appeared on numerous obscure releases, many of them issued by the Bakersfield International label. In April 1967 Paxton signed Guilbeau and Parsons as featured artists.
Only two Guilbeau & Parsons singles ever surfaced: “Sweet Suzannah”/“Louisiana Rain” in 1967 and “Your Gentle Ways of Loving Me”/“Sweet Rosie” in 1968. They also taped material intended for a full-length project that remained unreleased, although much of it later surfaced on the 1970 album Cajun Country, credited to Gib Guilbeau. Overall the duo’s recordings offered an engaging blend of early country-rock that incorporated substantial Cajun elements alongside touches of R&B and blues, sometimes tilting strongly toward country or Cajun textures. On other occasions the performances echoed the Byrds or Gene Clark at the moment those artists stood poised between folk-rock and country-rock. “Your Gentle Ways of Loving Me” itself received a later reading by the Byrds once Gene Parsons and Clarence White had joined the band. White contributed guitar to several of the Guilbeau & Parsons tracks.
At the time these records, along with other releases featuring Guilbeau and Parsons, reached only a small audience. The pair made a stronger impression through live work, especially once their friend Clarence White joined the Reasons on guitar. The ensemble later acquired the name Nashville West, taken from a venue where they performed regularly, although they never appeared under that billing during their active years. Fellow musicians from the emerging Southern California country-rock scene often attended their shows. No studio recordings by the group were ever released, yet a handful of agreeable, largely instrumental live tracks eventually appeared under the Nashville West name in the late 1970s.
White and Parsons departed the Reasons/Nashville West for the Byrds in 1968, thereby closing any further recording prospects for the Guilbeau & Parsons partnership. Their overlooked studio work finally received proper documentation with the 2002 Big Beat CD Louisiana Rain, which collects both officially issued singles, the Guilbeau & Parsons tracks that appeared on Cajun Country, six home demos and outtakes, and several additional mid- to late-1960s singles on which Guilbeau and/or Parsons performed.
The tangled story opened in 1963 when multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Parsons entered the Castaways, a Southern California ensemble that already featured fellow multi-instrumentalist and singer Gib Guilbeau, a Louisiana native active in the area since the late 1950s. The Castaways maintained a broad repertoire encompassing country among other styles and cut two singles for GNP Crescendo in 1964, though Parsons did not participate on those sides. Guilbeau and Parsons separated briefly in the middle of the decade after Gib returned to Louisiana for six weeks; he soon came back to California, however, and assembled the Reasons (occasionally billed as the Fabulous Reasons) in Palmdale, where the band performed regularly in the desert region east of Los Angeles. Parsons rejoined the group on drums, the instrument he played after having handled bass duties in the Castaways.
An extensive live calendar with the Reasons, combined with the musicians’ diverse backgrounds, wide-ranging tastes, and emerging songwriting skills, produced a then-unusual fusion of country, rock, folk, pop, Cajun, and R&B. Guilbeau, Parsons, and Reasons bassist Wayne Moore channeled some of this experimentation into frequent studio work. Recording in shifting configurations for producer Gary Paxton and often backing other artists, these sessions appeared on numerous obscure releases, many of them issued by the Bakersfield International label. In April 1967 Paxton signed Guilbeau and Parsons as featured artists.
Only two Guilbeau & Parsons singles ever surfaced: “Sweet Suzannah”/“Louisiana Rain” in 1967 and “Your Gentle Ways of Loving Me”/“Sweet Rosie” in 1968. They also taped material intended for a full-length project that remained unreleased, although much of it later surfaced on the 1970 album Cajun Country, credited to Gib Guilbeau. Overall the duo’s recordings offered an engaging blend of early country-rock that incorporated substantial Cajun elements alongside touches of R&B and blues, sometimes tilting strongly toward country or Cajun textures. On other occasions the performances echoed the Byrds or Gene Clark at the moment those artists stood poised between folk-rock and country-rock. “Your Gentle Ways of Loving Me” itself received a later reading by the Byrds once Gene Parsons and Clarence White had joined the band. White contributed guitar to several of the Guilbeau & Parsons tracks.
At the time these records, along with other releases featuring Guilbeau and Parsons, reached only a small audience. The pair made a stronger impression through live work, especially once their friend Clarence White joined the Reasons on guitar. The ensemble later acquired the name Nashville West, taken from a venue where they performed regularly, although they never appeared under that billing during their active years. Fellow musicians from the emerging Southern California country-rock scene often attended their shows. No studio recordings by the group were ever released, yet a handful of agreeable, largely instrumental live tracks eventually appeared under the Nashville West name in the late 1970s.
White and Parsons departed the Reasons/Nashville West for the Byrds in 1968, thereby closing any further recording prospects for the Guilbeau & Parsons partnership. Their overlooked studio work finally received proper documentation with the 2002 Big Beat CD Louisiana Rain, which collects both officially issued singles, the Guilbeau & Parsons tracks that appeared on Cajun Country, six home demos and outtakes, and several additional mid- to late-1960s singles on which Guilbeau and/or Parsons performed.
Albums