Clark honored in South Pasadena

Gene Clark — a founding member of the Byrds whose musical legacy is often overshadowed by those of his onetime bandmates Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Clarence White and latter-day member Gram Parsons — will get a salute of his own on Saturday at the South Pasadena Library from several peers and collaborators.

Singer-songwriter Carla Olson, who recorded with Clark, will be joined by Moby Grape member Peter Lewis, ex-Byrd John York and Clark’s son, Kai Clark, for “The Songs of Gene Clark: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.”

“At one time, he was the power in the Byrds, not McGuinn, not Crosby — it was Gene who would burst through the stage curtain banging on a tambourine, coming on like a young Prince Valiant,” Hillman said of his former bandmate. “Few in the audience could take their eyes off this presence. He was the songwriter. He had the ‘gift’ that none of the rest of us had developed yet. … We learned a lot of songwriting from him and in the process learned a little bit about ourselves.”

Proceeds from tickets for Saturday’s tribute, which cost $25, benefit the library. Information is available at the library’s website.

“It is so great to see my father finally getting the credit he so well deserved,” Kai Clark said recently.