Roger McGuinn enjoyed his nine years as the lead singer for The Byrds. But he’s loving life on the road as a solo artist even more.
“This is what I want to do,” said McGuinn, in a phone interview Oct. 7 from a beach in Carlsbad, Calif., prior to a couple of weekend concerts in Malibu and San Luis Obispo.
“I love it. It’s not like it’s work.”
McGuinn, a folk-rock legend, plays 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Kentwood Performing Arts Center, 25800 164th Ave. S.E., Covington, as part of the city of Kent Spotlight Series.
Concertgoers will see McGuinn, 67, play a seven-string guitar, 12-string guitar and a five-string banjo as he performs hits by The Byrds and his solo work.
“There will be some stories to go with them as well,” McGuinn said.
McGuinn fronted The Byrds from 1964 to 1973. The hits included “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!” The Byrds and McGuinn were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
“We didn’t really have any preconceived notion about how long we would last,” said McGuinn, who embarked on his solo career in 1973. “We were on the road all of the time and doing about two albums a year. Nine years is not a bad run. For the Rolling Stones to go on for over 40 years, they must love it.”
McGuinn has found his love as a solo artist. That’s exactly what he had imagined as a teenager growing up in Chicago when he first saw Pete Seeger in concert. Seeger had just left The Weavers to start a solo career.
“I went to see him and watched him pull it off by himself,” McGuinn said. “He had four or five instruments with him at the concert and I thought that’s what I want to do. I wanted to become a folk singer.”
In May at Madison Square Garden, McGuinn performed “Turn! Turn! Turn!” with the Band of Horses at a 90th birthday party for Seeger, who composed the song. Numerous musicians performed at the tribute to Seeger. The party gave McGuinn a chance to connect with old friends.
“I got to see Kris Kristofferson for the first time in about 20 years,” McGuinn said. “We were good friends when we both lived in Malibu.”
Somewhat of a late bloomer compared to most musicians, McGuinn didn’t develop an interest in music until age 13 when he listened to Elvis Presley. He came away impressed with how Presley mixed rhythm and blues and country. Then folk singer Bob Gibson performed at McGuinn’s high school and the teenager decided to pick music as a career.
McGuinn, who got his first guitar at age 14, attended a folk-music school in Chicago. He started to tour at age 17 and has been on the road ever since.
After McGuinn plays at Kent, he will perform at Edmonds, Hillsboro, Ore., Bremerton and Port Angeles. He travels to each concert in a van with his wife, Camille. They live in Orlando, Fla.
“We always find great little places to stop,” said McGuinn, who compared his travels to the “On the Road” CBS television reports by Charles Kuralt that started in 1967 and aired for about 25 years.
McGuinn also appreciates just one traveling companion, as opposed to a full band.
“My wife and I go together, so it’s not like a rock ‘n’ roll band when you have to wait for the drummer to get out of the shower or you will be late,” McGuinn said.
If you go
What: Roger McGuinn concert
When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23
Where: Kentwood Performing Arts Center, Covington
Cost: $26 general, $24 ages 55 and older, $20 ages 25 and younger
Tickets: www.kentarts.com or call 253-856-5051
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