Kevin Mathews: June, 2001

Gram Parsons, Grievous Angel

Gram Parsons died in 1973 of a drug overdose aged 26 at Joshua Tree, California.

27 years later, his influence is greater than ever. Yet, he died in relative obscurity. Gram left behind a small body of work that continues to touch, excite and inspire musicians to this very day -- Gram called his work, Cosmic American Music.

And it is the potency of Cosmic American Music that moved the likes of Sheryl Crow, the Pretenders, Beck, Juliana Hatfield et al to pay tribute to this legend in the Return of the Grievous Angel album.

Recognized as the forerunner in blending the rock 'n' roll aesthetic to country music, Gram was smitten by the allure of rock 'n' roll from a young age. At nine, he watch Elvis Presley perform at his school and the experience had a huge affect on young Gram and Elvis remained his hero and inspiration throughout his creative life.

Rock 'n' roll provided Gram with the escape that he needed from his traumatic childhood - his sad and melancholic memories captured vividly in the verse and chords of the finest country music.

Gram was born Cecil Ingram Connor on November 5, 1946. He was the grandson of John Snivley, who owned about one-third of all the citrus fields in Florida. Snivley's daughter married Coon Dog Connor. When he was 12, Gram's father committed suicide. After Connor's death, Gram and his mother moved in with her parents in Winter Haven, Florida; a year after the move, his mother married Robert Parsons, who adopted Gram and his name was legally changed. In 1965, Gram graduated from high school; on the same day he graduated, his mother died of alcohol poisoning.

Though blessed with family wealth, Gram was obsessed with rock music. His background had managed to get him into Harvard to study theology but Gram's thoughts and attention were elsewhere. He spent only one semester at Harvard and while he was there, he spent more time playing music than attending classes. During this time he formed the International Submarine Band (with guitarist John Nuese, bassist Ian Dunlop and drummer Mickey Gauvin) possibly the first "country rock" band ever. The group spent a year developing a heavily country-influenced rock & roll sound and ultimately secured a record contract with the LHI record label. The group's only album, Safe at Home, was released in early 1968, but by the time it appeared in the stores, the group had already disbanded.

Gram had hooked up with Chris Hillman of the legendary Byrds and was brought into the band, ostensibly, to replace the departed David Crosby (soon to form Crosby, Stills and Nash). Gram literally turned the Byrds on their collective ear, convincing Hillman and Roger McGuinn to record a country-inflected album - Sweetheart of the Rodeo - that caught the music world by surprise.

Although the Byrds would continue to pursue the country rock direction, they would do so without Gram, as he left the band before a controversial South African tour. Gram decided to spend that time with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, and would be directly influential on many of the Stones' countrified material on Beggar's Banquet, Let It Bleed, Brown Sugar and Exile on Main Street.

Chris Hillman had left the Byrds shortly after Gram and the duo formed the Flying Burrito Brothers in late 1968. The pair enlisted pedal steel guitarist "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow and bassist Chris Ethridge to complete the band's lineup and recorded their debut album with a series of session drummers. The Gilded Palace of Sin, the Flying Burrito Brothers debut album, was released in 1969. Although the album only sold a few thousand copies, the group gathered a dedicated cult following, A second album -- titled Burrito Deluxe -- appeared in the spring of 1970, but by that time the restless spirit that was Gram had left the band.

By this time, Gram's associations with Keith Richards had developed a bad habit - drug addiction, in particular heroin. In the two years after he left the Flying Burrito Brothers, he hung out with the Stones, began writing material for his solo album and most significantly met Emmylou Harris. With the same musicians who had played on Elvis' classic recordings (viz James Burton, Glen D Hardin and Ronnie Tutt.) together with Emmylou Harris on backing vocals, Gram recorded GP which was released late in 1972 to good reviews but poor sales. Subsequently, Gram embarked on a small tour with his backing band, the Fallen Angels. After the tour was completed, they entered the studio to record his second album, Grievous Angel. Gram would die before the release of Grievous Angel, cut off in his prime. In his wake, his legacy inspired a host of artists who shared his vision of a new Americana, amongst them -- Elvis Costello, Uncle Tupelo (and the splinter bands Wilco and Son Volt), the Jayhawks, Lemonheads, Dinosaur Jr, the Long Ryders and more recently, the Scud Mountain Boys, the Pernice Brothers, Beachwood Sparks, Sparklehorse and the Continental Drifters. Gram may be long gone but his siren song will never be forgotten. "I started out younger at most everything All the riches and treasures, what else does life bring But it makes me feel bitter Each time it begins Calling me home, Hickory Wind"

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