Gram Parsons

Born Ingram Cecil Connor III in 1946 to the daughter of a Florida citrus tycoon, Gram Parsons decided to become a musician at the age of nine after seeing Elvis Presley perform at his school. From that moment to joining the International Submarine Band in 1965, Parsons took a circuitous route that included a brief period spent studying theology at Harvard. With the goal of creating Cosmic American Music—his signature blend of rock ‘n’ roll and country–Parsons joined The Byrds and steered their 1968 roots-rock classic, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, then pioneered psychedelic twang with The Flying Burrito Brothers and influenced Sticky Fingers-era Rolling Stones. In 1973, his solo debut, GP, featured his timeless collaboration with Emmylou Harris, whose unmistakable harmonies marry with Parsons’ tearful tenor on songs like “Streets of Baltimore.” He died the same year, and his manager’s theft and amateur cremation of Parsons’ body at Joshua Tree capped a storied life. The posthumously released Grievous Angel (1974) remains a touchstone for alt-country musicians like Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown, and other songwriters who ensure his Nudie-suited legacy endures.