GIB GUILBEAU FAMILY TREE

By Mike Masterson (UK)

1951 - Present

Started playing as a teenager in his native Louisiana. Had his first band.

Joins US Air-Force 1955 and started a band "The Sons Of The South".

Doug Piper soon got transferred and Gib and Scotty played and sang as a duo.

They added new member.

They added two more musicians.

Doug McGarrett left and Darrell Cotton became the new member.

Members were discharged from Service and the band broke up. This was when they met Ernie Williams.

Darrell, Gib and Ernie became members of Tex Denton's "Hinkley Valley Boys".

As a trio Gib, Darrel & Ernie recorded a few singles for the Shasta label. They also recorded a single for the Shasta label as "The Hi-Flyers". With the addition of Wayne Moore on lead guitar become the "Four Young Men" releasing 4 singles on Crest (1 with Bobby Edwards). With the name changed to "The Young Men Four" they recorded three more singles. 1 again for the Crest label and two for the Star Delta label. Add a drummer and change name to "The Castaways" and play the Nevada Casino circuit.
Record a couple of singles for the Witch & Star Delta labels. Gib persuades a banjo playing friend, Gene Parsons, to replace Ernie, and after quickly learing the bass guitar joins sometimes the band, starting a long musical association with Gib. Record 2 singles for GNP - Crescendo (without Gene). Playing with various drummers. The Castaways recorded one single for Gary Paxton's Gaiety lable as "The Dudes". Gib and Darrell Cotton record one more single for the Gaiety label, but under the name "Duncan and Fife". Gib & Wayne play as a duo and release one single on the Starfire label. Gib landed a job at the "Jack Of Diamonds" club in Palmdale and formed "The Reasons" with various guitarists. When James and Russell left Gib tapped his two former bandmates, Wayne Moore and Gene Parsons to join the band. Gary Paxton singnes Gib and Gene Parsons on his new "Bakersfield International" label. Gib and Gene record as a duo. Clarence White joins ",The Reasons" This line-up is also known as "Nashville West".
One night Gene records a show on his Sony Tape Recorder which was eventually released as a live album by Sierra records in 1979.
Become Gary Paxton's "Studio Band" playing on many recordings during this period including solo releases by Gib, Wayne, Clarence & Paxton's alter-ego Rusty Dean.
From time to time other musicians play with the band, like: Gram Parsons, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Bruce Oakes, Jack Reeves .... After Clarence joins the Byrds in July 1968 they briefly continue as a trio. Gene Parsons follows Clarence to the Byrds so Gib & Wayne add new members including Bob Warford (ex-Kentucky Colonels). No known recordings. Gib's brother in law Stan Pratt replaces Dennis (Boomer) Morse on drums. Clarence White's brother Eric replaces Wayne Moore on bass. During this mid 60's period Gib also made several solo recordings eventually released on labels such as Strawberry, Edict & Happy Tiger. Gib was also in demand as a session musician and had success as a songwriter with several artists covering his songs. The Reasons become "Swampwater" but Chuck Morgan soon leaves this short-lived line up and later in 1973 recorded a solo album on which Gib and later Swampwater member, Thad Maxwell, both played. John Beland joins to begin a long musical association with Gib Guilbeau. Both Linda Ronstadt and Arlo Guthrie use Swampwater as their backing band. Gib secures a countract for a solo album for the King label but just before the sessions Eric White reverts to "road manager" duties and Thad Maxwell takes over on bass. The album sessions in Albuquerque became a band project rather than a solo Gib one, and the "Swampwater" album is released by King. Record a second album for RCA. During this period Gib & Swampwater record material under the pseudonym "Lowell Bennett" for albums sold in supermarkets. After aborted sessions for a third album again for RCA, John Beland leaves to return to solo & session work. An unknown guitarist joins the honour outstanding committments. Gib joins with ex-Burrito Brother Sneaky Pete Kleinow and four Texan musicians to form "Cold Steel" appearing locally in California. A self-titled album was released in Holland only in 1973. During 1973 Gib recorded solo tracks (demos) in Nashville backed by top session musicians with 2 albums and several singles released by the Alshire label. Late summer, early fall 1973 Gib toured briefly with Gene Parsons, Eric White & Chuck Morgan to promote Gene Parsons' "Kindling" album. Sneaky Pete & Gib join with Gene Parsons, Chris Ethridge & Joel Scott Hill from "The Docker Hill Boys" (who had recorded some demos in Comptche/CA. in 1974) to reform "The Flying Burrito Brothers". After recording demos the band is signed by Columbia releasing an ablum and 2 singles. Ex-Byrd Skip Battin joins to replace Chris Ethridge and release a second LP on Columbia. The Shiloh & Relix labels have released a number of live albums from the 1975-76 period. Gene Parsons breaks his wrist and his place take by Ed Ponder. After the European tour Joel Scott Hill leaves the band. New member becomes Bobby Cochran. The everchanging band line-up continues with Skip, and Ed all leaving being replaced by Thad Maxwell (ex-Swampwater) reuniting with Gib and Mickey McGee starting his first stint with the band. This line up records an album for Mercury under the name "Sierra" although they also continued to play as the Flying Burrito Brothers. Wholesale changes with only Gib & Sneaky and Mickey remaining, Skip Battin returns with Robb Strandlund completing the line up. The band breaks up and Gib, Sneaky Pete & Skip form a short lived alliance with three members of the "New Riders of the Purple Sage" who were also having personel difficulties at the time. The Flying Burrito Brothers reformed for a tour of Japan so Gib, Sneaky Pete & Skip recruited former drummer Ed Ponder and brought in multi instrumentalist Greg Harris (ex-Rains & Harris with one album for RCA) to complete the line up. During the tour a live album was recorded and released by several lables since. Gene Parsons rejoins again with Ed Ponder departing. Recorded 4 demos at Conway Studios for a possible contract with Elektra who rejected them.
The Shiloh label releases a solo Guilbeau album containing a mixture of early singles, Swampwater (King) tracks and some newly recorded material. Gene Parsons leaves the band for the final time and Mickey McGee returns.
Around this time a further two albums containing mainly solo Guilbeau recordings appeared. The albums "Burrito Country" (Brian Records) & "Flying High" (JB Records) are incorrectly credited to the "Flying Burrito Brothers" although the latter may contain some of the band's demos from this period. Ed Ponder replaces Mickey McGee recording 4 more demos at Elektra Studios also rejected by the label. Undertake shows as a 4-piece group due to Sneaky Pete's unavailabilty (again with Mickey McGee on drums). Ed Ponder replaces Mickey McGee, with Neil Good a temporary replacemant for Sneaky Pete. Swampwater reforms for sessions at Criterion Stuidos. An album from these sessions was released in 1985 by the Italian label Appaloosa. Sneaky Pete involved in some of the sessions. The Swampwater sessions end when John Beland agrees to join the Flying Burrito Brothers although recording continues at Criterion but now as the Flying Burrito Brothers. These recordings remained in the vaults until 1987 when released by Italian label Appaloosa. The band tours Italy with John Mauceri replacing Mickey McGee. Following a change of management the band name is shortened and they sign with Curb records. John Mauceri leaves, first replaced by Mickey McGee then by Steve Duncan during the album sessions. Skip Battin has a minimal input to the sessions for the first Burrito Brothers Curb LP and soon leaves. Gib & John now control the band and use "hired musicians" rather than permanent band members. Record second album for Curb. Sneaky Pete leaves after recording the second LP. Gib & John continue touring with a "hired" band. This is the most commercially successful period in the Burrito history with several singles hitting the charts. Touring continues with a couple more albums being recorded, a third for Curb which remains unreleased although some tracks appeared as singles and on Gib's "Classic Guilbeau 1968-86" CD in 2001. Record a fourth album for Leon Russell's Paradise records again unreleased at the time finally appearing on Sundown in 1995. Other musicians than those shown were used during this period but this was the most stable line up. Gib's son Ronnie played with the band occasionally. Gib & John ended the Burrito Brothers in 1985 after which a new line up of the Flying Burrito Brothers led by Sneaky Pete but not involving Gib or John started touring. However in 1986-87 Gib & John recorded a "Farewell" album in Sheffield, Alabama for the European market using session musicians but did not tour to promote the album. Gib rejoins Sneaky Pete as the Flying Burrito Brothers - play a few shows and record several tracks in Memphis which remain unreleased. In Jannuary 1989 John Beland, Jim Goodall & Thad Maxwell rejoin for a short tour of selected shows in Southern California & Las Vegas as the Flying Burrito Brothers reunion tour. Larry Patton & Rick Lanow replace Maxwell & Goodall and the band tour Europe, recording a live album released by Sundown in 1991. Original band member Chris Ethridge returns along with George Grantham (ex-Poco). George Grantham leaves and the Australian Brian Cadd joins and with "guest" drummer Ron Tutt record the "Eye of the hurricane" album in Nashville. The band perform a few shows to promote the album release. Short tour of Switzerland, Italy, Germany & Austria 1994 and again a short Europe tour June/July 1995. Following the 1994 tour the band goes into "limbo" but Sneaky & Gib get together with ex-member Bobby Cochran and singer-songwriter Phil Lee to record 4 demos at Criterion Studios looking for a new record deal. Band in "limbo" again playing occasional shows during the mid 90's.
Again with John Beland they sign new label deal with American Harvest and record new album "California Jukebox" released in 1997 but due to illness Gib's contribution is confined to a few tracks only. In 1997 Gib contributes 4 songs and production duties to an album of Railroad songs released by Shiloh. Gib builds his own studio (Studio 47) in Palmdale. Starts recording demos for a solo album project and also produces local artists using his studios.
In 2001 Gib along with Gene Humphrey form Beau Town Records releasing their first CD, a compilation of Gib's material from 1968 - 1986 including a number of tracks recorded with Nashville West in the late 60's, from the Burrito Brothers period 1980 - 1984 and solo tracks.
In May 2001 Curb records released "The Best of fhe Burrito Brothers" containing previously released material from 1980 - 1984, although most are new to the CD format. From July to September 2001 Gib, Wayne Moore, Darrell Cotton & Ernie Williams recorded an album under the name "Brothers". Those four were "The Four Young Men" and "The Castaways" in the 60s.

2003 Gib has released a brand new CD released by his Beau Town Records, an album of his favorite songs from his long career. Musicians on that CD are: Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Eric White, Ronnie Guilbeau, Stan Pratt, Ray Tapia, Del Gray, Wayne Moore, Darrell Cotton and many others .....

So even thought Gib has recorded in each of the last six decades.

THE STORY CONTINUES ................

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