Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (1974)

Gram Parsons was an American singer-songwriter, considered a pioneer in the country-rock genre.

After the release of his debut solo album GP in 1972 (representing a creative resurgance after a couple of unproductive years), Gram Parons went on tour with his band The Fallen Angels, which featured Emmylou Harris as his duet partner (check out Live 1973 for some recordings from this period). He managed to keep away from heroin and keep his drinking in check, and things were going well. However his record sales still weren't picking up, as his style of country-rock was now seen as far too traditional in comparison to the popular new sound pioneered by the Eagles. He began work on his second album, featuring backing from an all-star band consisting of James Burton (lead guitar), Herb Pederson (rhythm guitar), Al Perkins (pedal steel), Glen D. Hardin (piano), Emory Gordy (bass), Ron Tutt (drums) and of course Harris (vocals). There were also cameos from ex-Burrito Brother (and then-Eagle) guitarist Bernie Leadon, fiddler Byron Berline and singer Linda Ronstadt.
However it was then that tragedy struck. Parsons died in September 1973, from an overdose of morphine and alcohol. He was only 26. In the eight years from the formation of The International Submarine Band to his death, he had been one of the most important figures of the country-rock movement, and surely would have still had great career ahead of him.
His second album, Grievous Angel, was released posthumously in 1974. It was a continuation of the sound he had found with GP, with excellent support from Harris and the band. It didn't feature many new original songs, but the ones which opened and closed the album ("Return Of The Grievous Angel" and "In My Hour Of Darkness") rank among his best. It didn't sell many copies at the time, but was well received by the critics, and today can be looked back on as another country-rock masterpiece.

GP (1973) <|
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Gram Parsons - Live 1973

Posthumous release (1982)
Gram Parsons was an American singer-songwriter, considered a pioneer in the country-rock genre.

Many Gram Parsons albums have been released since his death in 1973, most of them compilations of his solo work and Burrito Brothers days. The most worthwhile is Live 1973, a recording of a concert originally aired live on WLIR-FM on March 13th 1973, just two months after the release of his splendid solo debut. The album is actually credited in full to 'Gram Parsons and The Fallen Angels, featuring Emmylou Harris'. The Fallen Angels band themselves consist of Jock Bartley (electric guitar), Neil Flanz (pedal steel), Kyle Tullis (bass) N.D. Smart II (drums). Harris' presence is prominent, more so than on GP, as she shares vocals with Parsons, at times stealing the show from him. This actually came two years pefore Harris' country-rock debut. She had released an obscure folk-based album in 1970, but she was not yet a major star at the time. Famously it was Parsons that turned her towards country-rock, so listening to this live recording is almost like hearing her rehearsing for what she was about to do under Parson's tutelage.
Live 1973 is an excellent album, and on its release was a much-needed addition to Parsons' quite slim output of work. In terms of country-rock, it definately leans towards the traditional country side, and is really quite mellow and laid-back. The songs featured include some that had appeared on GP, some that would later appear on Grievous Angel, plus a few country and rock & roll covers. Also includes "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man", a song Parsons wrote with Roger McGuinn during his time with The Byrds. However the Byrds didn't record it until after his departure, so this can actually be considered the 'official' Gram Parsons version.

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Gram Parsons - GP (1973)

Gram Parsons was an American singer-songwriter, considered a pioneer in the country-rock genre.

Gram Parsons was born in Florida in 1946, and as a teenager discovered a love first of rock & roll, and then of folk music. It wasn't til he went to Harvard that he became truly interested in country music, and formed The International Submarine Band, which released the obscure and underappreciated Safe At Home in 1968. However by the time of its release he had already joined The Byrds, and remarkably re-directed the pioneering folk-rock band's sound towards country music. He was only with The Byrds for a short time, resulting in the country-rock classic Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, before he formed a new band with The Byrds' Chris Hillman, The Flying Burrito Brothers. After releasing a splendid debut and a disappointing follow-up with them, he was was on on his own again by 1970.
He then had a musically unproductive couple of years. During this time he attempted a solo album with producer Terry Melcher (which came to nothing), hanged out with the Rolling Stones (though Anita Pallenberg reportedly asked him to leave during the making of Exile On Main Street), got married and nursed a heroin habit. His role in the late 60s as a country-rock pioneer was apparently a distant memory.
However in 1972 he managed to kick his addiction and got himself signed to Reprise Records. His first solo album saw him backed by an army of session musicians including guitarist James Burton, drummer John Guerin, pianist Glen Hardin, pedal steel guitarists Buddy Emmons and Al Perkins, bassist Ric Grech, fiddle player Byron Berline and singer Emmylou Harris. It was a fantastic album, leaning further in the direction of traditional country music, with alot of great original songs and a scattering of well-chosen covers. One of the originals, "She", was a third collaboration with his old bandmate Chris Ethridge.

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