Joseph Byrd

It was only a few months ago that I had the opportunity to speak with Joseph as part of my research into the early 1960s downtown New York composers. My ensemble is preparing to present some of his compositions in concert in late 2026 and I'd been looking forward to getting his guidance, so it's both a loss and a sadness that he's gone. RIP, Joseph. You did good.

Check out his bands "Joe Byrd And The Field Hippies - The American Metaphysical Circus," and "The United States Of America," as well as all of his solo work. An absolutely original artist.

I was playing Byrd's LP "Joe Byrd & The Field Hippies - The American Metaphysical Circus" as a young teen at the Catacombs Coffee House in Sylvania, Ohio in 1969, and followed this one-of-a-kind recording for decades - I bought a sealed copy in 1976 that remains unopened through this day. I had a chance to meet Joseph after seeing his filing in the 2002 Napster court case and contacting him via the College Of The Redwoods in Eureka where he had began teaching. Eventually I visited him...