I always knew that Gram Parsons had an influence on Keith and the band from 1968 to 1972, but I never really understood who he was, where he came from, how he got access, etc... until I watched an outstanding documentary co-produced by the BBC. It covers his life from start to finish.

Turns out he was a privileged trust fund kid who had a lot of money before getting into music. His family made their money in Florida's orange groves. I am not disparaging him, but the documentary makes clear his money gave him a lot of access that others might not have had based on talent alone.

Great interviews from Keith and a fair amount of time spent on Gram and his relationship with The Stones (Altamont, Nelcote, etc..).

Sorry if this is old news...but I'm glad I finally spent a few hours getting myself up to speed on thie important character in Stones history.

important to consider Gram as an individual, he did hang with Keith, but the work he did shows his strength as a songwriter and singer. He was apparently very unreliable as a band member and performer, though. And, his collaboration with Emmylou Harris began a great career for her.

Great talent. Country Rock pioneer



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-08-04 03:00 by Taylor1.

Will this be showing again? On BBC America?

It seems to be available on Amazon prime; usually one has to pay an extra rental fee($4). I will check it out as I am interested in watching it. I always listen to Grams' records via streaming. My favorite is GP.
I think that maybe around the time the docu was made, 2004, there was a CD of covers of Grams' songs done by famous musicians like Emmylou Harris, E. Costello etc.. very good record.
Rockandroll,
Mops

Quote
rollmops
It seems to be available on Amazon prime; usually one has to pay an extra rental fee($4). I will check it out as I am interested in watching it. I always listen to Grams' records via streaming. My favorite is GP.
I think that maybe around the time the docu was made, 2004, there was a CD of covers of Grams' songs done by famous musicians like Emmylou Harris, E. Costello etc.. very good record.
Rockandroll,
Mops

Thanks. I live in southern Georgia, about an hour north of Waycross, Gram's hometown. They have a small music festival in his honor each year (except this one - damn Covid!).

"No Anchovies, Please"

After checking out Amazon Prime, the 2004 BBC documentary does not appear. There is a movie with Johnny Knoxville about the stealing of the Gram's body that is available "Grand Theft Parsons". I may try that one. Does anybody know if it is
a good movie?
Rockandroll,
mops

Quote
rollmops
After checking out Amazon Prime, the 2004 BBC documentary does not appear. There is a movie with Johnny Knoxville about the stealing of the Gram's body that is available "Grand Theft Parsons". I may try that one. Does anybody know if it is
a good movie?
Rockandroll,
mops

It’s ok, but could’ve been better. Knoxville is not much of an actor.

You’re not ‘hardcore’ until you’ve explored Keith and Gram’s relationship and of course ‘cosmic American music.’

He wrote some beautiful songs and sang them from an aching heart. I cried the first time I heard ‘Brass Buttons’ but that wasn’t just his plaintive voice that was the Jack Daniels at 40,000 feet. The cabin attendant really should’ve cut me off…but I digress.

I was scheduled to fly from Tokyo to Los Angeles in September 2001 as part of my pilgrimage to the Joshua Tree Inn where Gram OD’ed (I unsuccessfully tried to book the very room where he croaked but the manager assured me that Gram had stayed in all the rooms at least once) but was forced to cancel due to the F’in terrorist attacks. Sadly, I never found the time or inclination to rebook. Can’t say I listen to his music very often these days either but maybe this flick will rekindle my interest.

$1000 Wedding had a similar effect on me...that Grievous Angel album is just breathtaking...beautiful songs sung from the heart.

I read a biography of Gram some years ago. Yes, his family money gave him the ability to walk away from projects that no longer interested him, to the chagrin of his less wealthy collaborators.

Also, while he was hanging out at Nellecote, Keith became so alarmed by his drug intake that he took him aside and expressed his concern. As the biographer noted, if Keith Richards thinks you're overdoing it, you've got a problem.

Acc. to Tarle Parsons was (unwillingly) directly responsible for the band to start a recording session at Nellcote :
Jagger saw the growing friendship between Keith and Gram as a potential threat to the future of the band so he quickly arranged for the Mobile to driven down to the Riviera.

Then he firmly forbade Parsons from going down to the basement studio.
After a while Gram got bored and split... Voila, bon voyage!

I am a huge Gram fan as was Tom Petty. Tom said Grievous Angel was one of his all time fav records.

Hickory Wind and In My Hour of Darkness are brilliant, IMHO.

Such a shame he departed at such a young age. There must've been a lot more music left in him.

I would love to see Gram & Keith doing stuff today; old country standards, etc.

Quote
Elmo Lewis
Will this be showing again? On BBC America?

Original post is 10 years old

Flash in the pan. More money than talent. That was my impression after seeing him with FBB a couple of times and it is reinforced by the radio recording of them that I have recently listened to. Faux "country" music by a bunch of city boys.

jb

Quote
jbwelda
Flash in the pan. More money than talent. That was my impression after seeing him with FBB a couple of times and it is reinforced by the radio recording of them that I have recently listened to. Faux "country" music by a bunch of city boys.

jb

I agree I never did understand the admiration for him. Talented? Not really.

I love country music -- Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee, Rodney Crowell, Emmy Lou, Gary Stewart, George Jones, and so on...and Gram's best work is right there. Sweetheart of the Rodeo, the Burritos, his solo LPs -- but that's a total of 5 albums and Burrito Deluxe is like he has already left. Mick famously admonishing him to go with Chris Hillman "to your own band" is good advice from a real professional but that a rich spoiled doper couldn't embrace. But songs like Hickory Wind, Ooh Las Vegas, Hot Burrito's 1 & 2, Sin City, Luxury Liner...good as it gets. If you like heartfelt intelligent country music. And there is a vast pool of great musicians who agree -- including Keith.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-08-08 03:44 by Wry Cooter.

Aren't there 8 Gram Parsons albums?

Solo:
1. "G.P."
2. "Grievous Angel"

Byrds:
3. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"

Fallen Angels:
4. "Live 1973"

Flying Burrito Brothers:
5. "Burrito Deluxe"
6. "Sleepless Nights"
7. "Gilded Palace of Sin"

International Submarine Band:
8. "Safe at Home"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-08-08 05:44 by Chacho.

Quote
rollmops
After checking out Amazon Prime, the 2004 BBC documentary does not appear. There is a movie with Johnny Knoxville about the stealing of the Gram's body that is available "Grand Theft Parsons". I may try that one. Does anybody know if it is
a good movie?
Rockandroll,
mops

I thought 'Grand Theft Parsons' was pretty good - definitely worth watching if you're a GP fan.

If you can, try and find the DVD extras, which features Phil Kaufman (the guy who hijacked Grams' body) describing how most of the scenes in the film actually happened that way in real life - unbelievable as it sometimes seems.

Quote
Chacho
Aren't there 8 Gram Parsons albums?

Solo:
1. "G.P."
2. "Grievous Angel"

Byrds:
3. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"

Fallen Angels:
4. "Live 1973"

Flying Burrito Brothers:
5. "Burrito Deluxe"
6. "Sleepless Nights"
7. "Gilded Palace of Sin"

International Submarine Band:
8. "Safe at Home"

Yes, but Sleepless Nights was compiled after his death, wasn't it?

I have a different version, called 'Dim Lights Thick Smoke...". The Train Song (awesome track) is the opener.

Quote
jbwelda
Flash in the pan. More money than talent. That was my impression after seeing him with FBB a couple of times and it is reinforced by the radio recording of them that I have recently listened to. Faux "country" music by a bunch of city boys.

jb

Listen to Brass Buttons and Hot Burrito #1 and say the man lacked talent.

We all have different tastes, but... come on, man!

Hot Burrito #1 ... nails me ta the wall every damn time ....



ROCKMAN

Gene Clark & Carla Olson have
a fair shot at Hot Burrito #1 .....

Not quite Gram but it'll still bolt ya heart .....



ROCKMAN

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
Chacho
Aren't there 8 Gram Parsons albums?

Solo:
1. "G.P."
2. "Grievous Angel"

Byrds:
3. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"

Fallen Angels:
4. "Live 1973"

Flying Burrito Brothers:
5. "Burrito Deluxe"
6. "Sleepless Nights"
7. "Gilded Palace of Sin"

International Submarine Band:
8. "Safe at Home"

Yes, but Sleepless Nights was compiled after his death, wasn't it?

I have a different version, called 'Dim Lights Thick Smoke...". The Train Song (awesome track) is the opener.

I just looked it up. It said that the release date of "Sleepless Nights" was
April, 1976, and - "three of the songs he cut with Emmylou Harris for his final solo album 'Grievous Angel' in 1973, and nine of the others were recorded live in the studio with The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1970".

So, yes, "Sleepless Nights" was released after his death, but recorded before his death. At any rate, I really like the album.

Quote
Chacho

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
Chacho
Aren't there 8 Gram Parsons albums?

Solo:
1. "G.P."
2. "Grievous Angel"

Byrds:
3. "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"

Fallen Angels:
4. "Live 1973"

Flying Burrito Brothers:
5. "Burrito Deluxe"
6. "Sleepless Nights"
7. "Gilded Palace of Sin"

International Submarine Band:
8. "Safe at Home"

Yes, but Sleepless Nights was compiled after his death, wasn't it?

I have a different version, called 'Dim Lights Thick Smoke...". The Train Song (awesome track) is the opener.

I just looked it up. It said that the release date of "Sleepless Nights" was
April, 1976, and - "three of the songs he cut with Emmylou Harris for his final solo album 'Grievous Angel' in 1973, and nine of the others were recorded live in the studio with The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1970".

So, yes, "Sleepless Nights" was released after his death, but recorded before his death. At any rate, I really like the album.

Compiled and released after his death. Very good album indeed

His greatest "talent" was looking good for the cameras and being cute enough to attract all the girls. Two songs...my definition of flash in the pan.

But evidently it is just me, or me and one or two others. Personally I would rather go into a random Bakersfield juke joint and enjoy the local talent than listen to hollywood cowboys.

jb

Quote
jbwelda
His greatest "talent" was looking good for the cameras and being cute enough to attract all the girls. Two songs...my definition of flash in the pan.

But evidently it is just me, or me and one or two others. Personally I would rather go into a random Bakersfield juke joint and enjoy the local talent than listen to hollywood cowboys.

jb

The point was that his music should NOT sound like traditional or standard country. And I didn't mean that he only had two great songs, those were just examples of awesome songwriting. Everything on Grievous Angel is fantastic, imo. Lots of great things on GP as well (She, The New Soft Shoe, A Song For You, Cry One More Time etc).

The Eagles should give his estate 10% of every dollar they ever earned. A true visionary and innovator. Unfortunately flew to close to the flame of the Stones, and being independently financially secure never had the drive to really push his own career. Probably spent his entire post Nelcote life waiting for Keith to call. Call never came. Sad.

Quote
jbwelda
His greatest "talent" was looking good for the cameras and being cute enough to attract all the girls. Two songs...my definition of flash in the pan.

But evidently it is just me, or me and one or two others. Personally I would rather go into a random Bakersfield juke joint and enjoy the local talent than listen to hollywood cowboys.

jb

Man, did Gram pull yer bird or something?