With frequent collaborator Gram Parsons, Hillman was a key figure in the development of country rock, defining the genre through his work with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas and the country-rock group the Desert Rose Band.

[2] He spent his early years at his family's ranch home in rural northern San Diego County, approximately 110 miles (180 km) from Los Angeles.

At the age of 15, Hillman went to Los Angeles to see the Kentucky Colonels bluegrass band at the Ash Grove, and later convinced his family to allow him to travel by train to Berkeley for lessons from mandolinist Scott Hambly.

[3] Hillman became known in San Diego's folk music community as a solid player; this won him an invitation to join his first band, the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers.

[1] The band lasted barely two years, recording only one album (Blue Grass Favorites, which was distributed in supermarkets); however, it has a posthumous reputation as the spawning ground for a number of musicians who went on to play in the Eagles, the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Byrds, Hearts & Flowers, and the Country Gazette.

Shortly thereafter the band changed its name to The Hillmen;[1] soon Hillman was appearing regularly on television and using a fictitious ID, "Chris Hardin", to allow the underage musician into the country bars where many of his gigs were played.

Hillman kept a low profile on the band's first two albums, on which McGuinn and Clark shared lead vocals with Crosby adding high harmony and singing the bridge on "All I Really Want to Do".

[1] Hillman also wrote (and sang) the minor hit "Have You Seen Her Face", "Thoughts and Words", "Time Between" and "The Girl with No Name", the latter two demonstrating his bluegrass and country roots.

In 1974, Hillman teamed with singer-songwriter Richie Furay (who co-founded Buffalo Springfield and Poco) and songwriter JD Souther (who co-wrote much of the Eagles' early repertoire) in the Souther-Hillman-Furay Band.

Hillman released two solo albums, Slippin' Away and Clear Sailin',[1] which included several songs co-written with Crawdaddy magazine editor Peter Knobler.

Their self-titled debut album in 1987 generated two Top Ten country hits in "Love Reunited" (written with Steve Hill), "One Step Forward" and the number-one single "He's Back and I'm Blue."

Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, JayDee Maness, John Jorgenson, Bill Bryson, and Steve Duncan performed their first reunion concert on August 27, 2008 in Solana Beach, CA.

Before this date Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen were as a duo joined by John Jorgenson on May 2, 2008 for a small DRB set at the Station Inn in Nashville.

[6] He released his latest album, Bidin' My Time (2017), co-produced with Tom Petty, featuring guests including Roger McGuinn, David Crosby and members of The Heartbreakers.

This has been described as "a kind of summing up of Hillman's long and varied career, incorporating the folk, bluegrass, country and rock styles he's touched on over the years.

"[7] Along with Roger McGuinn, Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives, Hillman toured in the U.S. with the 50th Anniversary of the Sweetheart of the Rodeo, to sold out venues and outstanding reviews.

His memoir, Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond, was published by BMG Books in November 2020, with positive reviews in Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, and now in the second printing.