February 7, 2025      —–     Chart #284

Hello Music Friends,

Hey folks, welcome to another edition of Chart of the Week. I love bands with great vocal harmonies. Guess that’s why I am so smitten with The Beatles, Crosby Still Nash & Young and the like. Well today we are looking at another such band with beautiful harmonies and a little less overall success that the aforementioned.

Firefall is an American soft rock band that formed in Boulder, Colorado, in 1974. It was founded by Rick Roberts, former member of the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Jock Bartley, who had been Tommy Bolin’s replacement in Zephyr. Other members have included Mark Andes, Larry Burnett, David Muse, and Michael Clarke, the latter also formerly of the Flying Burrito Brothers and an original member of the Byrds. My selection today is Cinderella. As Firefall’s third highest hit based on Top 100 chart performance, this song is really nice. Tasty guitar throughout and delicate structure make this one a delight to the ears.

In 1973 Rick Roberts and Jock Bartley met when Bartley was on tour with Gram Parsons as a member of his backing band, the Fallen Angels. Both the Fallen Angels and Roberts were performing in New York City at the same venue on consecutive nights. After the two were reunited in Boulder, Colorado, Roberts was impressed by Bartley’s guitar work, and the duo soon began practicing together. Encouraged to form a band, they contacted bassist Mark Andes (a former member of the California bands Spirit and Jo Jo Gunne) who had temporarily retired to the mountains outside Boulder, and singer/ guitarist/ composer Larry Burnett (whom Roberts had met in his travels earlier that year). After Andes and Burnett joined in 1974, the band was called Firefall.

Roberts got the name from the Yosemite Firefall at Yosemite National Park in California. The owners of a hotel threw burning logs off a mountain in a cascade as an annual event to entertain the guests.

Guitarist/keyboardist Mark Hallman was another musician considered for Firefall, but Hallman rejected the offer and remained with his band Navarro. The drummer was Michael Clarke, who had been a member of The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers.

There is more history for Firefall than I will put here today. There are connections to Stephen Stills, Manassas, Poco, Timothy Schmidt and Mick Fleetwood to name a few. Enjoy listening to Cinderella and if you feel curious give it a try. On guitar you can play this song in standard tuning but if you really want to go for it you may need at least three guitars and some drop D tuning. Whatever you decide, have fun with Cinderella and go find some more Firefall to listen to. You won’t regret it.   

Keep Rockin’,

Stan Bradshaw