''Windmills'' is the debut solo album by country rock musician Rick Roberts. The album was recorded a year after his stint as lead singer of

The Flying Burrito Brothers The Flying Burrito Brothers are an American country rock band, best known for their influential 1969 debut album, ''The Gilded Palace of Sin''. Although the group is perhaps best known for its connection to band founders Gram Parsons and Chris ...

, and two years before co-founding the band

Firefall Firefall is an American country 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. The band' ...

. Roberts was joined on the record by Burrito Brothers bandmate

Chris Hillman Christopher Hillman (born December 4, 1944) is an American musician. He was the original bassist of and one of the original members of the Byrds, which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby and Michael Clarke. With freque ...

, as well as three of the

Eagles Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, jus ...

: Don Henley,

Bernie Leadon Bernie Leadon (pronounced ''led-un''; born July 19, 1947) is an American singer, musician, songwriter and founding member of the Eagles, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Prior to the Eagles, he was a member ...

(formerly of the Burrito Brothers), and Randy Meisner. Other guest musicians include

David Crosby David Van Cortlandt Crosby (born August 14, 1941) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Crosby joined the Byrds in 1964. They got ...

, Jackson Browne,

Al Perkins Al Perkins (born January 18, 1944) is an American guitarist known primarily for his steel guitar work. The Gibson guitar company called Perkins "the world's most influential dobro player" and began producing an "Al Perkins Signature" Dobro in 2 ...

, Dallas Taylor,

Marc Benno Marc Benno (born July 1, 1947 in Dallas, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Benno teamed with Leon Russell to form the Asylum Choir in the late 1960s. He launched a solo career in the early 1970s, with the 1972 album ''Am ...

and

Byron Berline Byron Douglas Berline (July 6, 1944 – July 10, 2021) was an American fiddle player who played many American music styles, including old time, ragtime, bluegrass, Cajun, country, and rock. Life and career Berline was born in Caldwell, Kansas, ...

. The standout tracks are "Sail Away", "In My Own Small Way", and "Jenny's Blues", and all of the songs were written by Roberts, except Harlan Howard's "Pick Me Up on Your Way Down".

Track listing

#"Deliver Me" (Roberts) - 4:51 #"Davy McVie" (Roberts) - 3:45 #"In My Own Small Way" (Roberts) - 2:57 #"Sail Away" (Roberts) - 7:17 #"Two Lovely Women" (Roberts) - 4:39 #"In a Dream" (Roberts) - 4:12 #"Drunk and Dirty" (Roberts) - 3:42 #"Pick Me Up on Your Way Down" (

Harlan Howard Harlan Perry Howard (September 8, 1927 – March 3, 2002) was an American songwriter, principally in country music. In a career spanning six decades, Howard wrote many popular and enduring songs, recorded by a variety of different artists. C ...

) - 2:53 #"Jenny's Blues" (Roberts) - 3:46

Personnel

* Rick Roberts - guitar, lead vocals, choir *

- banjo, guitar, harmony vocals, choir * Don Henley - drums, harmony vocals, choir *

- steel guitar, guitar *

- bass * Randy Meisner - bass, choir *

- fiddle * Dallas Taylor - drums *

Joe Lala Joseph Anthony Lala (November 3, 1947 – March 18, 2014) was an American musician and actor. In 1966, he co-founded the rock band Blues Image. Life and career Lala was born in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, to parents from Contessa Entellina (an ...

- percussion *

- harmony vocals * Jackson Browne - harmony vocals * Mother Hen - piano, harmony vocals *

Mike Utley Michael Gerard Utley (born December 20, 1965) is a former American football player. He played for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1989 through 1991, when he was paralyzed during a game. Early life and college career A gr ...

- organ *

- guitar *

Leland Sklar Leland Bruce Sklar (born May 28, 1947) is an American bassist and session musician. Sklar rose to prominence as a member of James Taylor's backing band, which coaleced into a group in its own right, The Section. This group of musicians so frequ ...

- bass

Production

*Producer: David Anderle *Recording Engineer: Richard Moore/Kent Nebergall *Art Direction: unknown *Photography: unknown *Liner Notes: unknown

References

Rick Roberts (musician) albums 1972 debut albums A&M Records albums {{1970s-rock-album-stub