Artist:The Dillards
Song:Reuben's Train
Album:Back Porch Bluegrass/!!!Live!!!Almost!!!/Pickin' and Fiddlin'
The Dillards were important in modernizing and popularizing bluegrass music during the early 60s folk music boom. They also influenced folk rock groups like The Byrds. They are best known for playing The Darlings on The Andy Gtiffith Show. Banjoist Doug Dillard and brother and guitarist Rodney Dillard grew up playing music together in their hometown of Salem, MO. After appearing on local radio and in clubs, they released a 1958 single as The Dillard Brothers. They added local DJ Mitch Jayne on bass and Dean Webb on mandolin. They changed the name to The Dillards. They moved to Los Angeles in 1962. And that was a key move because it expanded the reach of bluegrass. And the folk boom was underway. After playing a show with The Greenbriar Boys, The Dillards were signed by Elektra Records which was a big folk music label. Reuben's Train is from The Dillards 1963 debut album Back Porch Bluegrass. Reuben's Train was called I'm Nine Hundred Miles Away from Home in 1924 when it was recorded by Fiddlin' John Carson. Doc Watson is among those who have recorded the song. About half of the album songs were traditional. Jim Dickson was the producer. He also produced The Greenbriar Boys. The album is on a three album set from the British reissue label BGO Records. The other two albums are !!!Live!!!Almost (1964) recorded at The Mecca in Los Angeles and Pickin' and Fiddlin' (1965) featuring Byron Berline on fiddle. Meanwhile The Dillards appeared as The Darlings on The Andy Griffith Show. Doug Dillard left The Dillards in 1968 to form Dillard and Clark with Gene Clark of The Byrds. He would return occasionally until his 2012 death. Rodney Dillard and his wife Beverly still lead a version of The Dillards. They released their latest album in 2020. As I said, The Dillards did a lot to broaden the audience of bluegrass. Here's The Dillards performing Reuben's Train 1963 probably on the TV show Hootenanny!.
Thank-you so much Frank. I really liked that video very much. I played it twice. I will have to look them up on YouTube. David
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