Roger McGuinn

Roger McGuinn, co-founder of The Byrds and international superstar of rock's golden age, has been an influential singer, songwriter, and musician for more than 40 years. McGuinn, whose "jingle-jangle" 12-string electric Rickenbacker guitar was as recognizable as his smooth tenor during his years as the lead singer of The Byrds ("Mr. Tambourine Man," "Turn, Turn, Turn," "Eight Miles High," "So You Want To Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star," et al), has spent much of the past decade on his first love, re-interpreting folk music for the new age. The results can be heard on his 4-CD set, "The Folk Den Project." After his earliest years playing with the Chad Mitchell Trio and singer Bobby Darin, McGuinn found his way to L.A. and the emerging folk-rock scene on the Sunset Strip. Joining forces with fellow musicians David Crosby and Gene Clark, McGuinn formed The Byrds, whose rock versions of Bob Dylan songs as well as their own revolutionary originals made them rock icons and leaders in the late-Sixties pop-music scene. Never one to be trapped by the vestiges of the past, McGuinn has since gone on to a successful solo career. His concerts these days present a blend of his most memorable Byrds-era songs as well as traditional takes on the folk music that influenced him as a young musician and that continues to inspire him today.