One A.M., taken from the Dillards' 1972 country rock Roots and Branches album

Known by most people as the Darling Family from the hills on "The Andy Griffith Show," the Dillards were much more than that. Combining progressive bluegrass initially, the group incorporated folk, country, rock, pop, and occasional jazz to create a sound wholly their own. The Eagles were heavily influenced by their songs and harmonies.

Richard Podolor (e.g. Ringo Starr, Three Dog Night) produced "One A.M." and the accompanying album. It doesn't sound like the Darling Family, to be sure, even with mandolin. Podolor tried his best to move the group into the mainstream with this album, & it did chart. The drums on this song are really high in the mix, but I think it's great.

It comes from their sixth LP, "Roots and Branches," which debuted June 20th, 1972, on Anthem Records. It charted at No. 79 on Billboard, their only album to reach the charts. This was probably due to the fact that they opened for Elton John during his first tour of the U.S. that same year.

To read an exclusive, in-depth interview that I conducted with Rodney Dillard, which includes a track by track examination of the "Roots and Branches" recording sessions, see below. Dillards mandolin maestro Dean Webb also weighs in during a separate interview.

The Dillards: Rodney Dillard/lead guitar guitar//lead vocal
Dean Webb/mandolin/vocal
Billy Ray Lathum/guitar/vocal
Richard Podolor: Guitar, Producer
Bill Cooper: Bass, Engineer
Paul York/drums

https://medium.com/@jeremylr/further-into-rock-territory-rediscovering-the-dillards-blazing-roots-and-branches-1972-album-e9acf86f8039 ["Further Into Rock Territory: Rediscovering the Dillards’ Blazing ‘Roots and Branches’ 1972 Album"]

https://medium.com/@jeremylr/the-dillards-secret-weapon-in-step-with-mandolin-maestro-dean-webb-7a476a27bf7a ["The Dillards’ Secret Weapon: In Step with Mandolin Maestro Dean Webb"]

https://medium.com/@jeremylr/full-circle-with-the-founding-frontman-of-trendsetting-country-rockers-the-dillards-e8cd95e8b14e ["Full Circle with the Founding Frontman of Trendsetting Country Rockers the Dillards"]

https://medium.com/@jeremylr/when-the-dillards-bumped-into-steve-mcqueen-on-a-hollywood-street-c645967168d3 ["When the Dillards Bumped Into Steve McQueen on a Hollywood Street"]

https://medium.com/@jeremylr/a-mayberry-minute-with-andy-griffith-show-alum-rodney-dillard-9f649add31f8 ["A Mayberry Minute with 'Andy Griffith Show' Alum Rodney Dillard"]

https://medium.com/@jeremylr/rodney-dillards-miraculous-christian-transformation-64d74108a1a4 ["Rodney Dillard’s Miraculous Christian Transformation"]