The musician is every bit as modest in conversation as he is in his memoir. He’ll be the first to admit that he had no idea how to play the instrument when he took over duties for bandmate, David Crosby. But the young player knew talent — and opportunity when he saw it.
In this brief conversation, we discuss Hillman’s time with the band and subsequent projects, including the Flying Burrito Brothers, featuring fellow recent Byrds expat, Gram Parsons. The musician discusses his reluctance to become a frontman, the lifelong process of learning the mandolin and why bands don’t last forever.