September 19: Gram Parsons passed away in 1973

“I think pure country music includes rock and roll. I’ve never been able to get into the further label of country-rock. How can you define something like that?”
~Gram Parsons

“I just say this – it’s music. Either it’s good or it’s bad; either you like it or you don’t.”
~Gram Parsons

In a way, it’s a matter of lost love. Gram was everything you wanted in a singer and a songwriter. He was fun to be around, great to play with as a musician. And that mother-fucker could make chicks cry. I have never seen another man who could make hardened old waitresses at the Palomino Club in L.A. shed tears the way he did.
It was all in the man. I miss him so.
~Keith Richards (Rolling Stone Magazine, 2005)

 

Emmylou Harris talks about Gram Parsons:

Keith Richards on Gram Parsons:

The Flyin Burrito Brothers – Chritina’s Tune:

From Wikipedia:

Birth name	Ingram Cecil Connor III
Born	November 5, 1946 Winter Haven, Florida
Origin	Waycross, Georgia
Died	September 19, 1973 (aged 26) Joshua Tree, California
Genres	Country, country rock, rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, guitarist,pianist
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano, organ
Years active	1963–1973
Labels	Reprise, A&M
Associated acts	International Submarine Band The Byrds The Flying Burrito Brothers Emmylou Harris
Website	gramparsons.com

Gram Parsons (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called “Cosmic American Music”. Besides recording as a solo artist, he also worked in several notable bands, including the International Submarine Band, The Byrds, and The Flying Burrito Brothers. His career, though short, is described by Allmusic as “enormously influential” for both country and rock, “blending the two genres to the point that they became indistinguishable from each other.”

Born in 1946, Parsons emerged from a wealthy but troubled childhood to attend Harvard University. He founded the International Submarine Band in 1966, and after several months of delay their debut, Safe at Home, was released in 1968, by which time the group had disbanded. Parsons joined The Byrds in early 1968, and played a pivotal role in the making of the seminal Sweetheart of the Rodeo album.

After leaving the group in late 1968, Parsons and fellow Byrd Chris Hillman formed The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1969, releasing their debut, The Gilded Palace of Sin, the same year. The album was well received but failed commercially; after a sloppy cross-country tour, they hastily recorded Burrito Deluxe. Parsons was fired from the band before its release in early 1970. He soon signed with A&M Records, but after several unproductive sessions he canceled his intended solo debut in early 1971. Parsons moved to France, where he lived for a short period at Villa Nellcôte with his friend Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones.

Returning to America, Parsons befriended Emmylou Harris, who assisted him on vocals for his first solo record, GP, released in 1973. Although it received enthusiastic reviews, the release failed to chart; his next album, Grievous Angel (released posthumously in 1974) met with a similar reception, and peaked at number 195 on Billboard. Parsons died of a drug overdose on September 19, 1973 in hotel room 8 at the Joshua Tree Inn at Joshua Tree, California, at the age of 26.

Since his death, Parsons has been recognized as an extremely influential artist, credited with helping to found both country rock and alt-country. His posthumous honors include the Americana Music Association “President’s Award” for 2003, and a ranking at No. 87 on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic describes Parsons as “enormously influential” for both country and rock, “blending the two genres to the point that they became indistinguishable from each other. … His influence could still be heard well into the next millennium.”

In his essay on Parsons for Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Artist” list, Keith Richards notes that Parsons’ recorded music output was “pretty minimal.” But nevertheless, Richards claims that Parsons “effect on country music is enormous[, t]his is why we’re talking about him now.”

Gram & Emmylou – Streets of Baltimore (Bad quality, but GREAT stuff!!):

Album of the day – Grievous Angel (1974):

Other September 19:

 

• Bruce Springsteen plays one of his best concerts (and hence.. one of the greatest concerts ever) @ Capitol Theatre (Passaic) in 1978.
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  Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – September 19-21, 1978 (The Sept. 19th show was broadcast throughout the tri-state area and remains a famous concert, among fans, for the intensity of the performance.)
  
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• Brian Samuel Epstein (19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967), was an English music entrepreneur, best known for being the manager of The Beatles until his death in 1967. He had also served as manager for Cilla Black, Gerry & the Pacemakers,Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas, The Remo Four, and The Cyrkle. After attending boarding schools, being in the army, and training to be an actor at RADA, he returned to Liverpool to join the Epstein family business, which later led to him naming his own company NEMS Enterprises; an acronym for North End Music Stores, which his family owned.
  
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• Daniel Lanois (born September 19, 1951 in Hull, Quebec) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has released several albums of his own work and has produced albums for a wide variety of artists, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Brandon Flowers and Ron Sexsmith. Lanois is best known for his work with Brian Eno, the pair collaborating on a number of projects together and producing several platinum albums for U2, including The Joshua Tree. Three albums produced or co-produced by Lanois have won the Grammy Award forAlbum of the Year, and four others received nominations.

-Egil & Hallgeir