Roger McGuinn
Roger McGuinn
James Roger McGuinn /məˈɡwɪn/ known professionally as Roger McGuinn and previously as Jim McGuinn, is an American musician. He is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of the Byrds' records, and is a very influential pioneer guitarist. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionGuitarist
Date of Birth13 July 1942
CityChicago, IL
CountryUnited States of America
Yes, basically, like you said, I'll work out a chord pattern and work out the lyrics over that.
I've always loved the songs of the sea. I was first introduced to them back in 1957, at the Old Town School of Folk Music. I used to go to Pete Seeger concerts, and he would do songs like 'Ruben Ranzo' and talk about how the sailors sang songs to do their work - to raise the anchors, pull up the sails and that sort of thing.
To me, being in the big time is not that big of a deal. I've been there; I know what it is. It's exciting, but it's also a lot of work and pressure. I love sort of flying under the radar where we can play theaters and sell CD's on the Internet, and it's really kind of a cool time.
I started playing guitar back in '56. I was a teenager, and guitars had just come in, and I had a thing for it and got one. Started learning lead breaks from songs, because that was the easiest thing to do at the time. I had the guitar for two years before I learned any chords. Really.
The wonderful thing about having your songs on the radio is that people are going to go out to your concerts and buy your merchandise and that sort of thing, and it feels good to get that level of name recognition.
I was raised a Roman Catholic and had to go to the eight o'clock Mass every morning and have communion and wear a tie, kind of like a restricted life style. Then in the '60s, we got wild and let it go and started looking in other places to see where God really was, and I came back to the Christian thing.
When The Byrds started country-rock, we had no idea there would be such a thing. We were just trying to honor the music. We started listening to country radio. We went to Nudie's and got cowboy clothes.
People have told me that other artists have been influenced by my music, and it's flattering. It's a wonderful thing.
I'm a huge fan of home recording. I think it levels the playing field. You don't need $100,000 to record a studio CD.
I went to school for folk music back when I was a teenager and learned hundreds of songs.
I love being a troubadour. I travel around the world with my wife and play little theaters. We have a ball.
I don't want to be an oldies act, kind of dragging around on the road just for the money.
I've always considered myself a folk singer, even though we strapped on Rickenbacker guitars and played pretty loud.
That's my favorite subject because it really levels the playing field for artists these days. You don't have to sell out to the record company. You don't have to get a five hundred thousand dollars, or whatever, and pay them back for the rest of your life to record a record.