Gram Parsons

[ducktrapper]

I just finished reading Twenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsons and His Cosmic American Music by David N. Meyer. What a sad and terrible tale of wasted talent! As it states in the book, "he threw it away with both hands". I've been listening to The Byrds' Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, The Flying Burritos Brothers' Gilded Palace of Sin, Gram and Emmylou all week. Despite the tragedy of his life, he left a small but magnificent legacy and was a huge influence on what went on around him and what came after him. He must be acknowledged for that. He didn't quite make his 27th birthday. Almost joined that stupid club, as Kurt Cobain's mother referred to it. 

[flatlander]

Yep, Always loved that early country rock since I was a kid. My musical partner is all into Emmylou, just within the last couple years, so I've been educating her about Parsons. Including the desert body burn. 

[ducktrapper]

Yep, Always loved that early country rock since I was a kid. My musical partner is all into Emmylou, just within the last couple years, so I've been educating her about Parsons. Including the desert body burn. 

Yeah unfortunately the incident with his body has eclipsed his work. Gram and Emmylou are as good as it gets when it comes to country duets. Right there with George Jones and Tammy Wynette or The Louvin Brothers. Emmylou could harmonize with a rock and Gram could sing the wings off a dove.   

[markyboy]

I discovered Emmylou & Gram Parson's late at night listening to the local 70's rock station back in Highschool (75) and instantly I was hooked. Went out the next day and bought Elite Hotel & Greivous Angel. It opened up a whole world of music to me.

[pennerblue]

added bonus to his musical legacy:  he turned the rolling stones onto country music and in turn directly influenced some of the greatest rock-n-roll albums of all time (e.g. Sticky Fingers).

[flatlander]

added bonus to his musical legacy:  he turned the rolling stones onto country music and in turn directly influenced some of the greatest rock-n-roll albums of all time (e.g. Sticky Fingers).

Yes, but he was too much for even Richards. He either bailed on The Byrds in middle of European/South African tour to hang with Richards in La La land, or because of his high moral ground of not playing in apartied S. Africa, depending on who tells story. (I think McGuinns pretty straight up)  Either way story goes Richards told him to hit the road after a couple months. Wore his head out.
The tour was to promote Sweethearts of the Rodeo album that he had so much influence on.  With Hillman's support they convinced McGuinn to change theme of album from Americana history type deal, covering lots of types of music, to country. Most influential but I believe least selling album of The Byrds. Yes he certainly had big influence. Too bad he didn't get over his youth and take care of himself and well, been easier to work with. Him and Emmylou were so different. I wonder how thier relationship was? A straight A cheerleader from a military family and him. Interesting salt and pepper combo.

[ducktrapper]

Well there are a lot of stories about Gram Parsons. Some of them are even true, it seems. His actual influence on The Stones and vice versa will be debated forever. This book won't change that. Emmylou may have been a straight A cheerleader from a military family but Gram's grandfather basically invented orange juice. He came from more money and southern gothic melodrama than you could shake a Tennessee Williams' play at. His early life is pretty fascinating, as well. I thought of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Gram was raised to be a southern gentleman, however, and although he struggled with his demons, by all accounts, he normally behaved like one.       
The re-release of the expanded version of Sweethearts features several songs with Gram's vocals reinstated. It's a must.   

[flatlander]

Yea, I need to get that. In fact I just still have the vinyl, 2 copies. I've also got a couple T-shirts with the front cover on them. The cover was from an actual rodeo poster, I think from back in the 30's. Might be my favorite cover. There a Lady in Seattle who makes several T-shirts  with Sweethearts,Fallen Angels, Flying Burrito's etc. They're nice.
So I like his music a lot. Niether here nor there I suppose, but I kinda gets on my nerves that he is seen as the father of country rock and given too much of the credit. A definite part, but others
had big roles that you don't here much about. Some you wouldn't suspect, like Vern Gosdin, The Dilliards, Micheal Nesmith. Of course Clarence White on electic guitar. And a whole host of folkies turned electric, that might not have been country, but pushed it that way. All due credit to Parsons, don't forget the rest! It's like that with all styles of music though.

[ducktrapper]

I credit Ringo and Act Naturally, myself but I'm a huge fan of Parsons and, as far as I'm concerned, there is no arguing that Gram's vision of Cosmic American Music was at the nexus of bringing country music (back) into rock'n'roll. While other long hairs, for lack of a better word, were playing the music, Gram was connecting with and bringing real country players into the studio with him and marrying real country music with the hippy thing. For better or worse. Anyway, if only for wearing Nudie suits and having an actual vision, his contribution to country-rock music can't be overlooked. Unfortunately, he died before hardly anyone realized his importance and there aren't even any great interviews existing to get his take on things.   

[flatlander]

Hey Duck, do you have Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels live? It's rather rare I think, you can get it here.
http://sierrarecordsbookshomevideo.goestores.com/storename/sierrarecordsbookshomevideo/ViewDept-168043.aspx

They also have other early country rock stuff although the catalog has shrunk over the years. They also have a book that was oop but they say they have limited copies now that you might like if your into country rock history.
http://sierrarecordsbookshomevideo.goestores.com/storename/sierrarecordsbookshomevideo/dept/168552/ItemDetail-10438105.aspx

This is also THE PLACE for Clarence white stuff.They have the straight bluegrass stuff but also electric.  I recommend The Muleskinner albums as must haves. They were oop for a long time but John at Sierra has done a great job of keeping Clarences stuff alive. The studio
album is a well recordred album with some of the best pickers period. It has acoustic and electric sruff.
Clarence, Peter Rowan, Bill Kieth, David Grisman hard to beat.
The Live Muleskinner is all acoustic and you can also get DVD, one of the few videos where yopu can see Clarence play.
Of course I love the straight up bluegrass of Kentucky Colonels as well and Clarences adventurous playing
including blazing Djamgo meets bluegrass lick and plenty of his one of a kind rythm. I've rambled enough but check the site out for some early country rock stuff, including Parsons.

[flatlander]

Well now you've made me go and spend money at sierra-records.com     http://sierrarecordsbookshomevideo.goestores.com/storename/sierrarecordsbookshomevideo/home.aspx
I bought.    
GRAM PARSONS : COSMIC AMERICAN MUSIC (extremely limited quantity)
Poor audio practice sessions including Grahm teaching Emmylou tunes and working out stuff that went on Grievous Angel and some that didn't make album.

DESPERADOS : THE ROOTS OF COUNTRY ROCK (LIMITED QUANTITY
Was going to get this before but then became unavailable. I'm not going to delay this time.

JOHN HARTFORD-AEREOPLAIN & MORNING BUGLE (2 for 1 import CD)
was just thinking the other day I needed to replace vinyl with areoplane and with this you get another album. Both for 13 bucks.

MULESKINNER : POTPOURRI OF BLUEGRASS JAM - Clarence White, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Richard Greene, Bill Keith..... CD 6009
Apparently lost mine, I think it went on perminent "borrow". Got to have it at home.

http://sierrarecordsbookshomevideo.goestores.com/storename/sierrarecordsbookshomevideo/home.aspx
has a fair amount of interesting stuff still if you browse around. CD's, Books and DVD. A good amount of Grahm Parsons stuff.

[ducktrapper]

I have the Falling Angels live CD. Emmylou and Gram are great but the band kind of sucks except the steel player. The drummer especially. It shows that playing country isn't as easy as a rock band may think. The book describes a pretty painful tour, musically. It must have been quite a comedown, considering that they had just finished recording 'GP' with Elvis' band featuring the likes of James Burton, Glen D. Hardin and Ron Tutt. They would soon become the backbone of Emmylou Harris' legendary Hot Band.
I also made the mistake of buying Gram Parson's Archive vol 1 which is actually The Flying Burrito Brothers live. Avoid unless you really need to hear how bad he could sound singing with an under rehearsed band while indulging in tons of weird substances. Some truly awful stuff. Parsons manages to shine through somehow, of course. Michael Clark is totally pathetic. Everything drags. There is no snap to any of the songs. He wasn't allowed to play on any of the Byrd's recordings apparently. Maybe the worst drummer from a hugely successful band, ever. Sneaky Pete is cool. He's an interesting character. He looks like a wildman and is supposedly the only one who didn't do any drugs or alcohol. Go figure!
I need some Clarence White. I think I ony have recordings of him as a Byrds sideman and some other session work. Thanks for the recs.

[flatlander]

If ypu're thinking about the Clarence stuff and you want to know what to expect on CD ask me if you want. There's quite a variety of stuff from home recordings when he was a teen, to Ky Cols raw Bluegrass, to early B-Bender electric stuff with Nashville West, later Live with the byrds. And the two Muleskinner CD's are a fair amount different,
His playing is always great but the situations are so different that one could be crazy about some of it and not so much others if that wasn't your style or if you require great recording quality, which some do have, some not so much.  matt

[Caleb]

I too think the band sucks on that live CD, duck.  The steel does sound good though.  The banter in between songs is kind of fun to hear though. 

I always liked Gram's voice and think his delivery was always interesting.  I think it's important to remember though that he was really just a kid acting like a kid.  A lot of books are written to scrutinize these types of folks, but most of it just boils down to them being young and wild.  A shame that some die in such a state and never make it out of it.   

[ducktrapper]

Yeah he only grew up to be 26. There's an interesting comment on his wife, Gretchen's behaviour on that same tour. It seems she was very jealous of Harris, acting out and was causing everyone to be very uncomfortable. The author cuts her some slack. She was only 20, afterall, and got to witness Parsons and Harris working out these incredible harmonies while singing torch songs like Love Hurts into each other's faces every night. Emmylou Harris was not even half bad to luck at, you know. 

[Caleb]

And, in my opinion, 26 and being a professional musician isn't at all the same as being 26 and raising children, paying a mortgage, working a dayjob.  Many musicians live a life that's really an imitation of life.  They have a lot of time on their hands, and they have everyone making excuses for them and catering to their every whim.  I think it's one of the things that contributes to their weirdness. When a person starts to believe they really are "that special" it has to have a damaging effect on that person's ability to deal with the harsh realities of life.  But death is still the great equalizer, and guys like Gram, Hendrix, et al still have to pay the piper.  

[ducktrapper]

And, in my opinion, 26 and being a professional musician isn't at all the same as being 26 and raising children, paying a mortgage, working a dayjob.  Many musicians live a life that's really an imitation of life.  They have a lot of time on their hands, and they have everyone making excuses for them and catering to their every whim.  I think it's one of the things that contributes to their weirdness. When a person starts to believe they really are "that special" it has to have a damaging effect on that person's ability to deal with the harsh realities of life.  But death is still the great equalizer, and guys like Gram, Hendrix, et al still have to pay the piper.  

Well, you also have to remember that Parsons, having a trust fund and no reason to work either hard or otherwise was a lousy bandmate. If your goal was to get good and find work, that is. He may have been some kind of tortured/spoiled genius but he was hardly a professional musician, of any kind.  

[ducktrapper]

I ordered the Muleskinner discs, Dillard and Clark and a bunch of other Parsons' more obscure stuff. Looking forward to it.   

[flatlander]

I ordered the Muleskinner discs, Dillard and Clark and a bunch of other Parsons' more obscure stuff. Looking forward to it.   

John at Sierra has done a great service by keeping Clarence's stuff around and other county rock stuff. You'll see his name on reissued stuff on other labels. One of my hero's.