Eclectic folk country-rockers Hearts and Flowers was one short lived South California band releasing two albums in 1967-68, picking up the psychedelica and early country-rock from that era. Having the base in Los Angeles they played at Doug Weston's Troubadour and introduced Eagles co-founder Bearnie Leadon (also Flying Burrito Brothers) on their second album. He replaced Hearts and Flowers founder member Rick Cunha on guitar. Cunha later contributed to Emmylou Harris' albums "Pieces Of The Sky" (1975), "Elite Hotel" (1976) and "Luxury Liner" (1977). The two albums was "Now Is the Time for Hearts and Flowers" (1967) and "Of Horses, Kids and Forgotten Women" (1968) which both includes a number of cover songs, one of the songs from their second album, a great Arlo Guthrie cover of "Highway in the Wind":
Another song from their first album is this Carole King cover "Road to Nowhere". Nicely done with a psychedelic bluegrassy country-rock feel to it:
"I'm a lonesome Fugitive" written by Liz Andersnon (yes, orignally written for Merle Haggard) is another cover, and Donovan's "Try for the Sun":
Harry Nilsson's "She sang hymns out of Tune" from their 68 was also recorded by The Dillards the same year:
Hearts and Flowers was clearly one of the early country-rock creations as the 67 album really states, and is more in the "never form" on the 68 album. They performed some great covers flowering them with their own influences, but in lack of their own great creations they only gave us a small but important taste of 60s alternativ folk/country. Bearnie Leadon clearly extended that in his performances in The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Eagles !
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