John Edward Beland (born July 24, 1949) is an American songwriter, session guitarist, recording artist, producer and author. Beland's career as guitarist started in Los Angeles in the late 1960s, playing sessions and local live gigs with Kris Kristofferson, as well as future Eagles members, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon. Beland's first major break came in 1970, when he played lead guitarist for a young Linda Ronstadt. He helped Ronstadt put together her first serious solo band, Swampwater. Along with bandmates Gib Guilbeau, Thad Maxwell and Stan Pratt, Swampwater toured the country with Ronstadt, appearing with her on many notable television shows including The Johnny Cash Show. Swampwater recorded two landmark country-rock albums for Starday-King and RCA Records. The group was one of the first Los Angeles bands to record in Nashville, known for their smooth harmonies and Cajun rock style.
After working with Ronstadt, Beland became a much in-demand guitarist, engaged by such high-profile artists as Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Tillotson, Kris Kristofferson, The Bellamy Brothers, Mac Davis, Dolly Parton and The Flying Burrito Brothers. As a solo artist, Beland recorded for Ranwood Records, scoring a chart hit in 1969 called "Baby You Come Rollin' 'Cross My Mind". Beland also became the last artist to sign with The Beatles' record company Apple Records in 1973. As a session guitarist, Beland recorded with many musicians in the United States and internationally. For over 20 years, he was the creative force behind the pioneering country rock band from California, Burrito Brothers. Through his leadership, the group achieved nine hit country singles for Curb Records in the early 1980s. Beland was also instrumental in the comeback of Rick Nelson in the late 1970s, arranging and playing on Nelson's last hit single "Dream Lover", as well as Nelson's album, The Memphis Sessions. He also toured and appeared with him on Saturday Night Live in 1979.
Beland has received awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) during his career. As an award-winning songwriter, Beland's songs have been recorded by a wide variety of recording artists from various genres. They have included artists from pop, folk, gospel to country music.
Early life Beland was born and raised in Hometown, Illinois, and was the eldest son of Clarence and Celine Beland. While growing up, he listened to a number of well-known American music artists. This included Buddy Holly, the Everly Brothers and Ricky Nelson. He was inspired by the music from a young age and began to play the guitar, predominantly rock and roll. At six years old, he received a toy Davy Crockett model guitar, but wouldn't own a guitar until he was seventeen.
During high school, Beland played with local bands, performing in small venues and at private parties. He practiced on his own at home, while listening to Dick Biondi on WLS radio. In an interview, Beland recalled the influence The Beatles had on his life as a young musician. He stated that he had never heard music like it and inspired him as a guitarist.
Beland became more involved in local music over the coming years as a teenager. He took little interest in school, instead, he focused on practicing blues and jazz tracks that were popular at the time, including Mose Allison, Ramsey Lewis and Bo Diddley. He was also strongly influenced by the Rolling Stones. He formed a small jazz trio in his hometown and regularly played small gigs. They would take pop songs and, as Beland described it, "jazz them up". Performing these musical blends further influenced Beland's youth. As his tastes and performances matured, Beland began to have a passion for jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi's music. His biggest inspiration as a teenager was The Byrds. He recalled hearing The Byrds' single "Mr. Tambourine Man" for the first time and being instantly connected and inspired by the Bob Dylan written track. As Beland performed more regularly, his music began to take on The Byrds' sound, showing how they had influenced him as a young musician.
Beland's life changed in 1967 when his father secured a new job, meaning the family would be moving to Los Angeles. They took a 3-day train journey from Chicago to California. They ended up living an hour outside Los Angeles, in the town of La Puente. Beland didn't attend his new school in Southern California and instead spent his days sneaking into movie studios and record companies to learn more about passions of filmmaking and music. When his family and the school realized what he was doing on a daily basis, they moved him to a continuation school for troubled teens. Determined to follow his dreams of becoming a musician, Beland recorded a dozen original tracks on a stolen tape recorder. When he was dropped at continuation school the next day, he hitchhiked to Los Angeles in hope of getting a record deal.
He lived on the streets for a couple of weeks after leaving home, speaking to publishing companies and record labels on a daily basis and showing them his homemade demo tape. After speaking to a record executive at Capitol Records, he advised Beland to try playing live at a club in Los Angeles called the Troubadour. Every Monday he attended open mic night at the venue and for $1 he would be able to perform for 15 minutes. He became well known by performers and regulars at the club, before host, Larry Murray decided to showcase Beland at the primetime slot in front of numerous record label executives.
After performing one night at the Troubadour, he was approached by Lois Dalton, who was a former member of The Back Porch Majority folk group. She had set up their own music production group and she offered to help Beland in any way she could. After weeks of living on the street, Beland was desperate for somewhere to stay. Dalton and her family took him in. Dalton spoke with Beland's parents and it was decided he would stay with the Dalton's in Los Angeles to pursue his music career under her guidance.
Music career
Career beginnings (1960s) Beland spent much of his early career living with Dan and Lois Dalton and their family. Under their guidance, he signed a music publishing deal, which allowed him to buy his first ever guitar, a Guild F-50. Dan Dalton began to use Beland on many of their music production group's tracks, which ended up securing Beland a solo record deal. He started on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, playing to the studio audience between set changes at a rate of $250 a week. Engelbert Humperdinck recorded one of Beland's tracks, titled Nashville Lady, which secured Beland more income.
Around the same time as his The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour performances, he befriended two struggling singer-songwriters, Glenn Frey and JD Souther. Both musicians would play for food and beer as a duo Longbranch Pennywhistle. Beland joined them playing on gigs as they reminded him of the Everly Brothers. He also worked with R.B. Greaves when he was a young struggling songwriter before he had his number 1 single in 1969.
Beland's luck changed over the next couple of months as he and Lois Dalton sang the theme song for the popular sitcom and ABC's hit show, The Brady Bunch. He continued to attend Troubadour, where he was introduced to Kris Kristofferson, a musician from Nashville, Tennessee. It was decided that Beland would back up the performer on acoustic guitar for Kristofferson. They performed three tracks, "Help Me Make It Through the Night", "For the Good Times", and "Me and Bobby McGee". According to Beland, all three received a cold reception.
In 1969, Beland answered an ad in The Hollywood Reporter calling for lead guitarists who could sing harmony. As an 18-year-old guitarist, he felt he needed the experience. It was for a new group called One Man's Family, which consisted of members of the pop group, Spanky and Our Gang. With the assistance of the Dalton's, Beland decided to take the role after it was offered to him. While he was rehearsing with One Man's Family, Beland started to spend more time with Linda Ronstadt, who knew members of the One Man's Family. She and Beland hit it off and she asked Beland if he would join her new solo band, as she had decided to quit the Stone Poneys who she was playing with at the time. Beland took the decision to stay with One Man's Family, as they had given him the opportunity to perform. He and Ronstadt remained on good terms and she stated that a position in her band would always be open to him.
One Man's Family toured across the United States in late 1969, with Beland as their lead guitarist. They opened for groups such as Steppenwolf, The Hollies and The Byrds. At a concert in Chicago, he met Clarence White, where he was fascinated by his Telecaster way of playing. Shortly after the concert, One Man's Family suddenly split after Nigel Pickering quit the band. Beland immediately phoned Linda Ronstadt, who told him she had a guitar gig for him if he wanted it.
Early career and Swampwater (1970–1976) Beland moved back to Los Angeles and joined Linda Ronstadt's first solo band. With Ronstadt's band, Beland toured the United States, performing at the Capitol Records Convention; Fillmore West with The Byrds; the Big Sur celebration with The Beach Boys and also at Troubadour. At the Troubadour gig, Kris Kristofferson was the opening act. After speaking with Kristofferson, Beland decided to join his band too at $35 for a week run. Kristofferson played the same songs he had played with Beland a year prior, but this time had a much better reception. Beland's connection with the Troubadour remained for a number of years, where he saw debut performances by The Carpenters, Poco and Elton John. He also met a band there called The Flying Burrito Brothers.
Ronstadt's bass player was replaced in the early 1970s by Beland's friend and former One Man's Family band member, Thad Maxwell. Shortly after Maxwell joined Linda Ronstadt's band, the backing band started their own band called Swampwater. Their sound was a combination of Guilbeau's hard driving Cajun rock and Beland's Byrds-Beach Boys style harmonies. Shortly after the formation of Swampwater, they were signed by the Nashville-based Starday-King Records and secured an album deal. The group recorded their first album in Albuquerque, New Mexico with John Wagner as the producer. They created a country hit titled "Take A City Bride". The track was the first Los Angeles-based band to score a Billboard country hit single.
Swampwater became closely connected to The Byrds, due in part to Gib Guilbeau's connection with Clarence White and Gene Parsons, before they joined the legendary group. The close connection to The Byrds gave the band huge exposure to record executives in Los Angeles. Beland subbed in for Clarence White on numerous recordings for The Byrds, due to his similar sound and style when White was unavailable. Swampwater left Starday-King after recording one album and signed with RCA for a new album that would be produced by Larry Murray. Many of the sessions took place in Los Angeles and Nashville. Unfortunately, the production on the second album wasn't as good as Beland had hoped. In later interviews, Beland stated that at this time he had become disillusioned with the direction of the band.
Despite the position of Swampwater, Beland continued to play on sessions for other Los Angeles-based artists, such as James Taylor's sister Kate Taylor. He was hired by Arlo Guthrie to play in a house band along with Ry Cooder, Gib Guilbeau and The Flying Burrito Brothers bassist Chris Ethridge, for the Tribute to Woody Guthrie concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The concert received huge public acclaim and the live recording of the concert is in the Library of Congress.