Revisit The Time Byrds Reunited For Roy Orbison

One of Their Final Performances Together

On February 24, 1990, David Crosby, Chris Hillman and Roger McGuinn reunited at a Roy Orbison Tribute under the name “the Original Byrds.” Taking place at the Universal Ampitheater in Los Angeles with a lineup that included B.B. King, Iggy Pop, and John Lee Hooker, the group took to the stage to perform “Mr. Tambourine Man” along with special guest Bob Dylan.

Years prior, Corsby, Hillman, and McGuinn lost a legal battle when a judge granted drummer Michael Clarke the rights to use “the Byrds” and well, none of the other members were too please.

Speaking to SPIN in 1991, Crosby said: “First Gene [Clark] went around with a very, very bad band, calling it the Byrds. Well, okay. Gene was one of the original writer-singer guys. But when it gets to be Michael Clarke the drummer – who never wrote anything or sang anything – going out there with an even worse band, and claiming to be the Byrds … and they can’t play the stuff. It was dragging the name in the dirt.”

Before launching into “Mr. Tambourine Man,” McGuinn told the crowd: “Well, this song was, um, our first single.” During the second verse, Dylan came up on stage and joined them. Dylan wrote the track and featured it first on his 1965 LP “Bringing It All Back Home.”

Check out the performance below.