Gram Parsons: Safe At Home On Fire On The Mountain

Parsons in 1973

Fifty one years ago tonight, park rangers at Joshua Tree National Monument - now a national park - noticed a huge fireball on the ridge at Cap Rock. Upon investigation, they found a flaming coffin and the partially burned remains of Gram Parsons, a 26 year old musician who would become a music legend. He had died a day earlier after being found unconscious in his room at the nearby Joshua Tree Inn following a day fueled by alcohol and drugs. His death was the just the beginning of a series of bizarre events ending with his burial in the Garden of Memories in Metairie, Louisiana.

Cap Rock jshyun/Flickr/Creative Commons License

In his brief fast and loose life as a musician Parsons imagined a new sound blending rock, country, R&B, and gospel. He called that sound "cosmic American music." If you listen to his seven years of work with The International Submarine Band, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and Emmylou Harris, you can hear that sound emerging.

And then there is Emmylou Harris. She loved him dearly. Here is In My Hour of Darkness, a song they wrote, here performed with harmony from Linda Ronstadt.

Earlier this year Emmylou Harris turned 77. Fame has been kind to her given such a long and successful touring and recording career. She's brought quality entertainment to millions of people since the beginning in those early days with Graham Parsons. We'll never know where the two of them would have gone together in the world of music but it's safe to say it would have been far. Here is a song she and Bill Danoff wrote as a tribute to Parsons:

In a few hours, the pilgrims will trek to Cap Rock to pay their respects to Parsons as they have for decades. Rangers may close the area, but that won't make a difference. The faithful will be there.

For more on the Gram Parsons story read his comprehensive Wikipedia entry with many links to his discography as well as a direct link the the entry on his death.


Safe at home, Gram, safe at home.






Sources

Text:
post title, adapted from Boulder to Birmingham