Gram Parsons (of real name Ingram Cecil Connor III, 5 November 1946 – 19 September 1973) was an American singer, guitarist and pianist American, Member of the bands International Submarine Band, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers. Later began a solo career and made duets with Emmylou Harris
Parsons died of a drug overdose at the age of 26 in a hotel room in Joshua Tree, California. Since his death has been attributed to his influence birth country rock of the 1970s and the early 1990s alternative country movement. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it # 87 on the list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
Biography
1946-1968
Parsons born Ingram Cecil Connor III in Winter Haven, Florida, grandson of citrus fruit magnate John a. Snively, with many properties both there in Waycross, Georgia, where Parsons was raised. A sister, “little” Avis was born shortly afterwards. His father, “Coon Dog” Connor, suffered mood variations, and committed suicide two days before 1958 on Christmas day. Parsons, Avis, mother later married to Bob Parsons, whose surname was adopted by the young Ingram. Bob came to request new certificates of birth to his stepson and stepdaughter. From here, Ingram would be known as Gram Parsons. Parsons was prestigious Bolles school in Jacksonville, Florida. For a time his family found stability, while Avis soon fell into alcoholism, leading to his death from cirrhosis.
While his family disintegrated to her around, Parsons developed a strong interest in music, especially after having seen a concert of Elvis Presley in 1957. Five years later, when it was barely a teenager, played in groups that made versions of rock and roll, as the Pacers and the Legends, performing in clubs owned by his father in the area of Winter Haven/Polk France. At the age of 16 years passed to folk music, and in 1963 it merged with the Shilos. Very influenced by the Kingston Trio and the Journeymen, the band played in cafes and auditoriums in secondary schools.
The dissolution of the group went to Harvard University to study theology, but left after one semester. In spite of being in the South, was not seriously interested in country music until he heard first Merle Haggard in Boston, Massachusetts. International Submarine Band formed in 1966, he and others from the Boston folk scene. The group moved to Los Angeles the following year, and released the album in 1968 safe at Home, which contains one of their best-known songs, “Luxury Liner”, as well as an early version of “Do You Know How It Feels”, which would interpret the first album of the Flying Burrito Brothers.
1968-1970
In 1968, Parsons had drawn the attention of Chris Hillman, of The Byrds, who after the dismissal of David Crosby and the abandonment of Gene Clark was looking for new members. Conceived originally as a history of 20th century music, starting with traditional country music, jazz, R & B and rock, and ending with the ultimate (at that time) of electronic music, sweetheart of the Rodeo was her only album with Parsons.
During this period, Parsons became friends with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. While in England, Parsons became a close friend of Richards and he reintroduced to country music.
Back to Los Angeles, Parsons was soon joined by Hillman (the two playing rhythm guitar), and formed the Flying Burrito Brothers, bassist Chris Ethridge and interpret pedal steel Sneaky Pete Kleinow. His debut in 1969, The Gilded Palace Of Sin was a modern version of the style of country Bakersfield, made popular by Buck Owens. Along with original compositions by Parsons-Hillman as “Christine´s Tune” and “Hot Burrito # 2, had versions of classics of soul, music as” The Dark End of the Street “and”Do Right Woman”, the latter including David Crosby in the vocal harmonies.” The album was recorded without a fixed drummer, but soon became the Member of the Byrds Michael Clarke. After recording the album, the Group embarked on a tour of the United States by train. Perhaps the most successful performance was in Philadelphia, where the Group acted supporting Act for the reconstituted Byrds.
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