Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Graham Parsons

Been listening to Gram's music for years and when I saw this book I ordered it and having read it I enjoyed it a lot , I do wish that it had a few more photos but the overall bio was very good I thought....well written and a breeze to read...for those who don't know of Gram , find out about the most unsung hero of the 60's and 70's music scene...for those of you who do know Gram , read it and be entertained....

Before picking up "Hickory Wind", all I knew of Gram Parsons was that he died at the age of 26, was burned afterwords in a hasty cremation by his road manager, and that he'd spent time in the Byrds before going off to the Flying Burrito Brothers (who I'd never heard of) and his own solo recordings. As this book shows, there was so much more. Ben Fong-Torres illuminates the early life of Parsons, including his troubled family's past, and discusses his music and its influence in the wake of his untimely demise. What it also does is make human a larger-than-life legend (as most are once their subject is passed on. Jim Morrison didn't become a "poet" until his death, really). Gram Parsons was a trust-fund kid with a world of problems, and little in the way of an ability to deal with them. Fong-Torres spares none of the grim details of his drug abuse and its effects on those around him. Also covered are the mysteries surrounding his death. There are numerous theoris abounding, but Fong-Torres sumises that the most likely is also the dullest (a accidental overdose), but therefore the most tragic. By the end of the book, you understand what rock and country lost with his passing. As someone who's just now getting into his music, I found "Hickory Wind" to be a great introduction to Gram Parsons, the musician and the man. It's impossible to know everything about our rock legends, but Ben Fong-Torres probably comes the closest to explaining Gram Parsons as I've seen any journalist do for their subject in a long time. Get this to learn about Gram Parsons; then pick up the FBB's first two albums so you understand what all the fuss is about.

The definitive work for those interested in the short life and times of the original Rhinestone Cowboy. Credited by some as being the one who popularized the genre of Country Rock music, Gram disdained this term for his own "Cosmic American Music". Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Gram was probably cursed by genetics. His mother's longstanding bouts with the twin evils of alcohol and depression, and his father sharing those traits, conspired to doom a talent that is recognized more today than when he lived. An impetuous young man, Gram Parson's talent was unquestionable. His inability to manage that talent, while immersing himself in the most hedonistic pursuits of contemporary life, was a large part of his downfall. The story told within these pages is likely to move the reader; not so much in a sympathetic way, as Gram didn't evoke sympathy. He does, though, appear to be a product of his upbringing, which unfortunately led him down a path of self-destruction that ended in his untimely death in a high desert motel. This book reads well, written by an author who always pays attention to detail without inserting his personal judgement.

I've been a fan of Gram Parsons, Byrds, Burritos, Emmylou Harris, etc since early 70s. Just read this book (earlier edition). Great read but the best part was the understanding it gave me of his music and some songs of his friends. For example, try reading the book and then listening to Boulder to Birmingham by Emmylou!

If you have heard any of Gram's work, or are at all interested in The Byrds, Flying Burrito Bros, Country Rock etc., this is a great book to find out where he came from, who he was, and why he's so heavily namechecked by bands 25 years after has death. Finding the real Gram seems pretty difficult as his knack of making up stories which may/may not be true can confuse anyone looking for him. Here though a good job has been done and you get a good idea of the man, where the songs and the talent came from, and just how influential he has been.