Sierra Records, a small indie label based in Southern California, is releasing some recently discovered acoustic instrumentals recorded by Clarence White, the innovative bluegrass, country and rock guitarist who was killed by a drunken driver on July 14, 1973.

Hailed by rock as well as country and bluegrass musicians, White was one of the few guitarists to be influential in his acoustic and electric playing. He's best known for his work with the bluegrass band the Kentucky Colonels and country-rock pioneers the Byrds and for helping inspire the development of the ParsonsWhite String Bender, now commonly known as a B-Bender.

The mechanism was made by former Byrds member Gene Parsons for White's Telecaster in the late 1960s, and enabled him to travel even further with his unique, note-bending technique. Among others, Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has subsequently picked up on the device.

Clarence White: 33* Guitar Instrumentals will be culled from recordings White made himself; the asterisk after the "33" in the title refers to White playing lead mandolin on the closing track. He plays solo flat-picked guitar on the remaining songs, accompanied by Kentucky Colonel bassist Roger Bush on rhythm guitar.

Sierra label owner John Delgatto says he recently found the previously unreleased tapes after a series of moves, and that they were given to him by White in 1973 from the guitarist's personal collection. The complete CD package, intended as a prelude to Sierra's long-planned Clarence White box set (tentatively slated for release in 2001–2002), will include rare photos and commentary from White's former colleagues.

Cornering The Niche Market

Sierra has previously released Nashville West, a collection of White's work that included tracks not found on the album's initial vinyl release, plus liner notes by country music star Marty Stuart. The title track was also featured in Byrds concerts, as on the opener of the live disc in the two-record set Untitled.

Another Sierra release, The Kentucky Colonels: Livin' in the Past, featured an introduction by the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.

"I guess I sort of cornered the Clarence, Gram (Parsons) , Burritos, Byrds, Kentucky Colonels market," Delgatto said.

'Peaks And Valleys'

Actually, though, some other recent releases of material recorded by the Byrds when White was in the band, specifically the Live at the Fillmore — February 1969 album released on Columbia Legacy in February, also offers fans a new look at White's work.

"I think there are peaks and valleys, and there are some that really stand out," said former Byrd Roger McGuinn at this year's South by Southwest conference, referring to Columbia's reissuing the entire Byrds catalogue. "The first thing and then the Clarence White thing stand out. The Clarence White period ... is underappreciated. And this is a good opportunity for people to take a second look at it.

"The music at the time wasn't top-40. It didn't get the publicity, so people didn't hear it. It just didn't get the exposure," McGuinn added.

Delgatto, who represents White's estate on behalf of his daughter and sole heir, Michelle, also said a "portion of the proceeds from the sale of this CD will be donated toward the purchase and installation of a permanent memorial marker near the site of Clarence's untimely death" in Palmdale, Calif.

The track listing is: "Wildwood Flower," "Masters Bouquet," "Bury Me Beneath the Willow," "Black Mountain Rag," "Billy in the Low Ground," "I'm So Happy," "He Will Set Your Fields on Fire," "Sugar Foot Rag," "Nine Pound Hammer," "Cripple Creek," "Under the Double Eagle," "Farewell Blues," "I Am a Pilgrim," "Country Boy Rock & Roll," "Forsaken Love," "False-hearted Lover," "Black Jack Davy," "Banks of the Ohio," "Jimmy Brown the Newsboy," "Sally Goodin," "Buckin' Mule," "Shady Grove," "Pike County Breakdown," "Old Joe Clark," "Arkansas Traveller," "Footprints in the Snow," "In the Pines," "Journey's End," "Pretty Polly," "Cotton Eyed Joe," "Clinch Mountain Backstep," "Randy Lynn Rag" and "Mandolin Medley."

Although the official release date is June 7 (which would have been White's 56th birthday), the album won't be released commercially until later in the year; Sierra is accepting reduced-rate advance orders until then from mail-order customers.

For more information, e-mail Sierra Records at mail@sierra-records.com or write to P.O. Box 5853, Pasadena, CA 91117.