Chris Hillman
was one of the original members of The Byrds, which also included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Michael Clarke. The Byrds and were inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. After his departure from the Byrds, Hillman, along with collaborator Gram Parsons, was the key figure in the development of country-rock. Hillman virtually defined the genre through his seminal work with the Byrds and later bands, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Manassas with Steven Stills. In addition to his work as a musician, Hillman is also a successful songwriter and has written songs performed by musicians as diverse as Emmylou Harris, Patti Smith, Tom Petty and Dwight Yoakam.