get musicated

Gram Parsons has been and will continue to be an influence on many singers and songwriters.  Without GP's influence on the Rolling Stones and his friendship with Keith Richards, we may not have heard "Wild Horses"  and the sound on Exile on Main Street would have been much different.  Without Gram I don't believe that  alt-country would be what it is today.  Tragically, he was one of those artists who struggled throughout his career and life.  Gram was born Cecil Ingram Connor on Nov. 5th, 1946, to Avis and Cecil "Coon Dog" Connor.  Parsons would come later when he took the name of his adopted father, Robert Parsons.  His family owned multiple properties and spent their time in Waycross, Ga, and Winter Haven, Fl. where Gram was born.  In Winter Haven is where his family, on his mother's side, made their fortune in the Citrus industry.  Gram's childhood was privileged as far as money was concerned but it was not an easy one.  Both of his parents were alcoholics and his mother battled depression.  His father took his own life two days before Christmas when Gram was just 12 years old.  His mother died of cirrhosis of the liver just a few years later in 1965, on the day Gram graduated from the Bolles School.

At the age of 12, Gram also started his first band playing mostly Buddy Holly tunes.  He played in quite a few bands in his short career.  In 1966 Gram attended Harvard briefly where he formed the International Submarine Band.  Later with the Byrds, Gram was present for their biggest album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo.  Gram and Chris Hillman formed the Flying Burrito Brothers in 1969 and wrote one of my favorites, Sin City.  He and Emmy Lou teamed up next to create some amazing harmonies.  Emmy Lou was and still is the greatest champion of Gram Parsons.  There is so much more to learn about this man and his life but I just wanted to peak your interest a bit here.

Gram died of an overdose of alcohol and morphine on Sept. 9, 1973 in a hotel in Joshua tree.  We have lost too many artists this way.  Todd Snider mentions Gram along with quite a few others in his song about this very tragic fate in "Alcohol and Pills."  Gram's inability to gain the respect he deserved in the music industry continued as the day after Gram's death, we lost Jim Croce in a plane crash.  Most of you know the fictionalized story of Gram Parson's death from the Johnny Knoxville movie, Grand Theft Parsons.  Knoxville plays Phil Kaufman who, with a friend, carry out Gram's wishes to be cremated and have his ashes  spread at Joshua Tree.  This involved the theft of his body from the Los Angeles airport in a hearse as you see in the movie.  What a wild ride he had during and after his short life.

Let's get to some music now.  Here is "A Song for You" from GP.