Gene Clark was imho the heart of the BYrds even though some think it was McGuinn. Clark wrote the best of the early songs as well as co writing '8 miles high' and created the architecture for their style which imho McGuinn stayed with after Clark left. I think his solo lps after he left the BYrds are as good as or better than their output in the same period. White Light, Roadmaster, and especially No Other are classics of country rock fusion with pop.
From Roadmaster
'One in a Hundred ' (1973)