#425 Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (1974)
MUSIC HISTORY WRITTEN BY HEAD WRITER DJ MORTY COYLE:
Released in January of 1974 on Reprise Records this is the self-produced second and final record from Country, Blues, Rock, and self-described Cosmic American Music singer/songwriter, guitarist, and pianist Gram Parsons.
But let’s start at the beginning…
Ingram Cecil Cooper III was born on November 6th 1946 in Winter Haven, Florida to a decorated World War II flying ace father and a mother whose father was a citrus fruit magnate. Although loving and affectionate, Gram’s mother was a depressive and both parents were alcoholics.
In 1956 the already musically-inclined ten year old Parsons saw Elvis Presley in concert and that set him on his course.
But tragically when Gram was twelve his dad committed suicide a couple days before Christmas which devastated him.
Later when his mother married Robert Parsons, Gram took his last name.
By sixteen he was attending and often failing in several prestigious schools while also playing in rock n’ roll cover bands at clubs owned by his stepfather.
A few years later when Folk music became popular he formed The Shilos and while still teenage prep school students they played all over the East Coast around their school schedules.
But in 1965 as Folk evolved into Folk Rock The Shilos broke up …
and if that wasn’t bad enough…
…that same year everything fell apart when his stepfather was caught in a cheating scandal and his mother died of cirrhosis from her drinking… on Gram’s high school graduation day.
Still later in 1965 Gram somehow got himself into Harvard University to study Theology which is where he first listened to Merle Haggard and seriously got into Country Music.
After one semester he dropped out and formed the International Submarine Band, his first Country Rock group.
After several singles and one album with the ISB the 21-year old Parsons was invited to join the jangly, Folk Rock band The Byrds.
Gram helped aim the band’s new direction into Country Rock on their 1968 album, “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” which put him on the world stage.
With that fame Parsons left The Byrds after one album to form The Flying Burrito Brothers and merge his Country Rock with Soul and R&B.
After two albums of varying success and critical acclaim and with a rapidly growing drug problem Gram was kicked out due to his substance abuse. So he attempted to start a solo career.
Despite a few false starts including Parsons spending time hanging out with the Rolling Stones and marrying his much younger girlfriend, aspiring actress Gretchen Burrell, Gram finally began his debut in 1972.
Besides using several members of Elvis Presley’s TCB band Parsons also found a young Folk singer named Emmylou Harris to be his partner in classic Country duet style.
1973’s “GP” was critically well-received but commercially disappointing and after a shaky tour with the band he christened The Falling Angels, Gram reconvened the debut album’s team all in Los Angeles that summer to start on the follow up.
Parsons and Emmylou Harris were joined by Herb Pederson on guitar and Al Perkins on pedal steel, and from Elvis Presley’s TCB band: Emory Gordy Jr. on bass, Glen D. Hardin on keyboards, Ron Tutt on drums, and James Burton on lead guitar.
But two weeks before they started Gram’s Laurel Canyon house burned down from a lit cigarette which contributed to he and Gretchen separating.
Despite Gram’s substance abuse taking its toll on his health, he rebounded during the sessions which was comprised of some new and old originals and some covers.
After the album was mixed he headed down to Joshua Tree National Park in Southeastern California to recuperate with some friends.
It was there on September 19th 1973 that Gram died of an overdose of morphine and alcohol at the age of 26.
“Grievous Angel” came out four months later.
And while Gram’s intention was for it to be credited to “Gram Parsons with Emmylou Harris” and to feature a photo of her on the cover Gretchen Burrell still had creative control and nixed that.
“Grievous Angel” came out four months later and despite being a critical smash only went to 195 on the Billboard 200 chart.
And that’s the story of how a talented, Harvard dropout, drug addict, alcoholic, self-destructive, trust-fund, kid became a pioneer of the Country Rock sound that ruled the early ‘70s with artists like the Eagles, Poco, and Linda Ronstadt and is still revered today by many Rock and Alt-Country artists.
Remarkably as of this show Gram is still not in either the Country or Rock and Roll Halls of Fame.