Sunday 10th July

Gram Parsons has become somewhat of a legend, but at the time he was making his music hardly anyone had heard of him.  He came to fame when he joined the Byrds from his own band ‘The International Submarine Band’.  Gram pioneered what he called Cosmic American Music, a mix of mostly country with blues and soul and spaced out guitars.  He featured heavily on the Byrds album ‘Sweetheart of the Rodeo’, which at the time was one of my favourites, especially ‘Hickory Wind’, which Gram wrote.  The Byrds at that time were going through a lot of personnel changes and Gram only lasted the one album.  He joined up with fellow Byrd Chris Hillman to form ‘The Flying Burrito Brothers’ a more solid country outfit.  They released two albums and then Gram, by now a heavy drug user, went solo.   He only made two albums, but they are classics; G.P. and Grievous Angel’.

He was great friends with Keith Richards who wanted him to join the Stones, (he definitely influenced the sound of Exile on Main Street) and he toured with EmmyLou Harris, and Delaney and Bonnie.  He seemed to be a real musicians musician and has achieved cult status; many citing him as the founder of what is now known as Americana.

He died from an overdose of morphine and alcohol and even in death he achieved fame.  His dead body was stolen by two friends and taken to the Joshua Tree National Park and burnt by pouring a few gallons of petrol on it and lighting it.  This was apparently Gram’s wish, but his family took the remains back to his home in Louisiana and properly buried him later.  His songs though live on and are still being recorded today.  My favourite is still Hickory Wind.