Country Gazette
Formed in 1971, this bluegrass ensemble was rooted in several Los Angeles-based outfits. The original line-up included three ex-members of Dillard And Clark, Byron Berline (b. 6 July 1944, Cladwell, Kansas, USA; fiddle/vocals), Billy Ray Latham (banjo/vocals) and Roger Bush (bass), who were initially joined by erstwhile Dillards’ guitarist Herb Pedersen (b. 27 April 1944, Berkeley, California, USA). The latter was then replaced by Alan Munde. Within months of its inception, Country Gazette was absorbed into a revue combining elements of the rapidly dissolving Flying Burrito Brothers. Wertz, Bush and Berline appeared on the unit's LAST OF THE RED HOT BURRITOS selection, before re-convening to complete their own group's debut, A TRAITOR IN OUR MIDST. Although the founding trio each took sabbaticals from their creation, they, plus Munde, were its nucleus. Former Kentucky Colonels’ member Roland White joined the group in 1975, and remained until its disintegration in 1981. Although not as influential as other contemporaries, Country Gazette was a superior exponent of its chosen genre.