The Byrds Fly into Laurel Canyon
In 1965, The Byrds had a huge hit with Bob Dylan’s Mr. Tambourine Man and with that Chris Hillman moved into his house at the top of Kirkwood in Laurel Canyon. Chris Hillman tells The Bluegrass Situation, “It was purely by accident that I’m up there one day by the country store, and I run into a guy who had a place to rent. It was wonderful. It was up on this road overlooking the entire city of L.A. You can imagine how beautiful it was at night, with all the lights on and everything. Shortly thereafter, David Crosby moved up there, and then Roger McGuinn.”
At this point it was an escape into the country with a short drive to the strip. During this time, The Byrds are enjoying a laid back life and success of their hits with Mr. Tambourine Man and Turn, Turn, Turn which inspires other musicians.
The Byrds played at The Troubadour with rock inspired folk music as pure folk had started to wean and become less popular. They became hugely influential on the sound at that time and other musicians wanted to emulate that sound of folk rock harmonies which would come to be known as The California Sound.
Enter The Turtles: Laurel Canyon
‘You didn’t move there because you were wealthy. You moved there because it was right in the middle of town. It was really cheap to live.’ – Mark Volman, the Turtles
Another band who had a hit in 1965 was The Turtles, with Happy Together. Mark Volman lived on Lookout Mountain and had a roommate Richie Furray of Buffalo Springfield. Shortly after Neil Young moves in.
The Mamas and The Papas Roll Into Town: Laurel Canyon
As 1966 rolls around, The Mamas and the Papas are enjoying a new hit that is soaking up radio play, California Dreamin’. Their album “If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears” is all over the place and they are enjoying life on Lookout Mountain in Laurel Canyon. John and Michelle Phillips along with Denny Doherty are all living together. Mama Cass soon moves in nearby on Woodrow Wilson drive. They are living in Laurel Canyon and are writing songs inspired by Laurel Canyon and about free love when Michelle and Denny sneak off together and begin having an affair. Writing songs about free love is one thing, people’s feelings while in a relationship are another.
Love Is In The Air
Another hot band of 1966 living up in Laurel Canyon on Wonderland Avenue and Kirkwood was Love with Arthur Lee and Johnny Echols. They were one of the bands looking to emulate The Byrds, and they also played at The Troubadour. They had a hit with My Little Red Book in 1966. Several members of Love were formerly in a band called Grass Roots.
Monkee Business
‘It was a very small community of musicians and long-haired weirdos.’ – Micky Dolenz, the Monkees
The Monkees’ Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz lived in Laurel Canyon with Peter Tork sharing a place with Steven Stills on Shady Oak and Dolenz on Horse Shoe Canyon Road. Steven Stills goes to audition for a new television show about a struggling band trying to make it while playing music akin to The Beatles while getting themselves into some hilariously sticky situations. He is turned down for not being telegenic and is asked if he knows any other musicians to send to the audition. He suggests his roommate for the role. Peter Tork auditions and gets the role of lovable dummy, a persona he had developed as a folk singer in Greenwich Village. Peter and Steven would become fixtures of the Laurel Canyon scene. Peter became known as the local Laurel Canyon nudist.
Watch What led to the DEMISE of Laurel Canyon’s Freewheeling Society of Sex and Rock n Roll?
Joni Mitchell: The Songbird of Laurel Canyon
By the late 1960s, Laurel Canyon became the creative hub for yet another icon of the era, Joni Mitchell. Moving into a modest home on Lookout Mountain Avenue, Mitchell created an environment that served as both her sanctuary and muse. Songs like Big Yellow Taxi and Ladies of the Canyon capture the idyllic yet changing spirit of the neighborhood. Mitchell’s home became a gathering spot for musicians, with regular visitors like Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.
Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills & Nash famously recounted the story of writing Our House about his time living with Mitchell in Laurel Canyon. The neighborhood inspired a collaborative energy that could turn simple moments, like Mitchell’s purchase of a vase at a flea market, into lyrical magic.
Mitchell’s poetic lyrics and intricate guitar work not only defined the Laurel Canyon sound but also elevated it. Her music provided a more introspective and emotionally raw counterpoint to the folk-rock harmonies that were dominating the scene.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: The Supergroup Emerges
The close-knit nature of Laurel Canyon fostered collaborations that would shape the future of music. David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash officially formed Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1968, with Neil Young joining later. Their harmonies became the soundtrack of the era, embodying the idealism and turbulence of the 1960s.
Their debut album, Crosby, Stills & Nash, was a critical and commercial success, featuring songs like Suite: Judy Blue Eyes and Marrakesh Express. The group’s ethereal harmonies and socially conscious lyrics were directly influenced by their time in Laurel Canyon, where their friendships and rivalries fueled their creativity.
Neil Young’s addition to the band brought an edge to their sound, with his haunting vocals and evocative songwriting adding layers of complexity. Tracks like Helpless and Ohio captured the mood of the times, blending the personal and the political.
The Troubadour: The Heart of the Laurel Canyon Scene
While Laurel Canyon was where musicians lived and wrote, The Troubadour on Santa Monica Boulevard was where they performed and connected. This iconic venue became a launchpad for countless artists from the canyon. It was here that Elton John performed his U.S. debut in 1970, mesmerizing an audience that included many of the Laurel Canyon regulars.
The Troubadour was also instrumental in the rise of Linda Ronstadt, who frequently performed there and became one of the era’s most celebrated voices. Ronstadt, who lived just outside Laurel Canyon, often collaborated with canyon musicians, further blurring the lines between folk, country, and rock.
Frank Zappa: Laurel Canyon’s Eccentric Genius
Frank Zappa brought an avant-garde edge to the Laurel Canyon music scene. Living in a log cabin-style home on Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Zappa transformed the space into a creative hub for musicians, artists, and counterculture figures. The house became a meeting place for the unconventional, hosting everything from impromptu jam sessions to experimental film screenings.
Zappa’s influence on the scene was profound. While other musicians in Laurel Canyon leaned into folk-rock and the California sound, Zappa pushed boundaries with his genre-defying compositions and satirical lyrics. Albums like Freak Out! and We’re Only in It for the Money showcased his unique approach to music and his irreverent critique of mainstream culture.
Jim Morrison and The Doors
Although Jim Morrison is often associated with Venice Beach, he spent significant time in Laurel Canyon, where he mingled with fellow musicians and wrote some of his most iconic lyrics. Morrison’s poetic sensibilities and rebellious spirit made him a natural fit for the Laurel Canyon community.
The Doors, known for their darker and more psychedelic sound, often played at clubs frequented by the Laurel Canyon crowd, including The Whisky a Go Go. Tracks like Riders on the Storm and Love Street capture the eerie, dreamlike quality that resonated with the canyon’s bohemian ethos.
The Sunset Strip Connection
One of the key attractions of living in Laurel Canyon was its proximity to the Sunset Strip. Legendary clubs like The Whisky a Go Go, The Roxy, and Pandora’s Box became the stomping grounds for canyon musicians. Bands would spend their days writing and rehearsing in the canyon before heading down to the Strip for performances that would define their careers.
The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Doors all made their names on the Strip, drawing fans and fellow musicians alike. This seamless connection between Laurel Canyon’s laid-back creative energy and the electrifying nightlife of the Strip fueled the explosion of talent in the late 1960s.
The Decline of the Laurel Canyon Scene
By the early 1970s, the idyllic lifestyle of Laurel Canyon began to fade. The utopian dream of communal living and artistic collaboration gave way to darker realities. The influx of drugs, coupled with the pressures of fame, strained relationships and splintered the community.
Tragic events like the Manson Family murders in 1969 further cast a shadow over the canyon. Many residents moved out, seeking privacy and security. Despite these changes, the music and legacy of Laurel Canyon continued to influence the industry, paving the way for future movements like the singer-songwriter boom of the 1970s.
Laurel Canyon’s Lasting Legacy
Laurel Canyon in the 1960s was more than a place—it was a movement, a moment in time that captured the essence of creativity, collaboration, and cultural revolution. The music that emerged from this hillside enclave defined an era and continues to resonate with audiences today.
From the harmonies of Crosby, Stills & Nash to the introspection of Joni Mitchell, the boundary-pushing of Frank Zappa, and the raw energy of The Doors, the Laurel Canyon music scene was a melting pot of talent and innovation. Its legacy is a testament to the power of community, where artists could inspire and challenge each other to create something extraordinary.
Laurel Canyon remains a symbol of the 1960s counterculture, a time when music was not just entertainment but a vehicle for change and self-expression. Its story continues to inspire, reminding us of the magic that can happen when creativity and community collide.
