The Beach Boys/Byrds Connection[s] There are quite a few.

[Lee Marshall]

Terry Melcher produced quite a few of the Byrds albums including the first couple which set the pace in no small way.  He'd be back.  Gary Usher produced a few as well.  And Van Dyke Parks was a featured musician with the Byrds including his keyboard contributions on the Fifth Dimension album.

Obviously they lived in the same geographical area, recorded at some of the same studios...likely employed a few of the same backing musicians...  And...  there's more.  So..."calling" the experts...what else?  Connect more of the dots please.

[wantsomecorn]

The dream collaboration between Brian and Roger McGuinn on "Ding Dang"!   

[clack]

Melcher ripped off Don't Worry Baby's rhythm track arrangement for Mr Tambourine Man.

[alf wiedersehen]

They both used guitars.

[bgas]

Eerily, both Brian and Roger have 5 letters

[SBonilla]

Folk roots.

[Michael Edward Osbourne]

There's also the Roger McGuinn song Draggin' which has Bruce Johnston on backing vocals.

[clack]

Back when the Byrds were still called the Jet Set, David Crosby brought some demos to Brian for his opinion.

Brian used to hang out with McGuinn, Crosby, and Hillman at Loren's place.

[CenturyDeprived]

Summer in Paradise (song), U.K. re-recorded version with McGuinn guitar, anyone? The pinnacle of both bands' careers, no doubt 

[37!ws]

Obviously they lived in the same geographical area, recorded at some of the same studios...likely employed a few of the same backing musicians...  And...  there's more.  So..."calling" the experts...what else?  Connect more of the dots please.

*ahem*

https://web.archive.org/web/19990203153828/http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/parton/543/byrdboys.html

[bossaroo]

both bands had a genius songwriter who was somewhat held back by a formulaic frontman.

both those geniuses had a nervous breakdown on an airplane.

both bands have released at least one absolute classic, incredibly influential album that was ahead of its time.

both bands have been called "America's answer to The Beatles".

both bands had chart success with LSD-influenced singles.

both bands became legendary live acts by the early 70s, despite humbler beginnings.



and what about that Byrds reunion/tribute tour in the mid-80s that included Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, and Blondie Chaplin?? (among others)

[CenturyDeprived]

Gene Clark/Gene Landy
Gene Clark/Clark Griswold (of National Lampoon's Vacation, theme song written by future BW collaborator Lindsey Buckingham - not a stretch of a connection at all)  

[LeeDempsey]

In the mid-1980's Blondie Chaplin played in "The Byrds Revisited" (frequently billed as just "The Byrds" by unscrupulous promoters) with Gene Clark, Michael Clarke, Skip Battyn, and Rick Roberts of Firefall.  Blondie performed "Sail On Sailor."  He played the same Les Paul Gold Top that he played in the Beach Boys (and continues to play, as frequently as Brian's Vegas show).

Edit: I see it was on the "Byrd-Boys" list in the link above (#8.)

Lee

[Lee Marshall]

So...beyond the REALLY obvious examples...the tracks don't criss-cross as much as I thought they might then?  I was just thinking about it last night and I figured Terry, Gary, Van Dyke, some shared session guys and Jim's...sorry lRoger's...contribution [didn't know about Blondie or Bruce singing something for the Byrds...but then there's the Bruce and Terry connections...so...] that maybe there'd be LOTS more.  Guess not.  Anyway thanks one and all for your posts.

That they "both" used guitars was most enlightening.

[Jon Stebbins]

David Marks and John York were in a band together in 67-ish called The Tender Trap. It's in the book.

[Emdeeh]

Roger McGuinn was the opening act for the Beach Boys in the mid-'80s. He was backed by the BB's band and Jeff Foskett sang David Crosby's parts. IIRC, Foskett has also been in at least one Byrds tribute band.

[shelter]

Brian and Van Dyke Parks were introduced to each other by David Crosby.

[Bill M]

McGuinn was the opening act for the BB when I saw them at Madison Square Garden in the fall of 1974.  He wasn't listed on the bill.  He opened with a few songs solo acoustic & then was joined by a band that I think included David Crosby.

Also, I think Bruce Johnston played piano & sang on McGuinn's debut solo album in 1973.

[Mike's Beard]

Also, I think Bruce Johnston played piano & sang on McGuinn's debut solo album in 1973.

He did, no doubt because Terry Melcher produced the initial sessions before McGuinn took over himself.

[Ian]

As detailed in my book with Jon the byrds played on the bill with the bbs on a few occasions including a memorable November 1971 Virginia show

[Rocky Raccoon]

Crosby with Graham Nash was an interviewee in the I Just Wasn't Made for These Times documentary. 

Crosby also performed at the All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson in 2000.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKj6309Gx_o - Singing "In My Room" with Carly Simon and Jimmy Webb.
http://youtu.be/R8IfQUyMxPQ?t=2m49s - Singing "Surf's Up" with Vince Gill and Jimmy Webb.

[Rob Dean]

Roger played on the Boys version of 'California Dreaming' , and appeared in the video.

AND AND AND , Like Brian ! Roger also likes cheese Pizza 

[Steve Latshaw]

In terms of music, the 1968 psychedelic Byrds release NOTORIOUS BYRD BROTHERS, made primarily by McGuinn, drummer Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman - with a little help from Crosby (who was fired 3 months before the album was released) has a very late 60s Beach Boys feel (in part thanks to producer Gary Usher).  It makes a great double bill with Sunflower.

[drummer083]

 Roger played 12-string, and Al, Billy, Mike, and Carl sang backing vocals on TM from Charles Lloyd's Waves album.

[Pretty Funky]

...and R&R Music on the Midnight Special 1979.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgFKN1sOuas