Grievous Angel: An Intimate Biography of Gram Parsons

A great biography of Gram Parsons. If you are an Emmylou Harris fan then you have to read the Gram Parsons history related to Parsons' affect on country music. The Byrds album, "Sweetheart of the Rodeo," which was inspired by Gram Parsons ironically sold more than ANY of the Byrd other albums. Roger McGuinn and others stripped much of the credit for the album's success from Gram Parsons but Ken Burns historical series, "Country Music," did recognize Gram Parson's influence as a critical evolution of modern country music. The incredible contribution of Emmylou Harris on country music was likewise affected by Gram Parsons.

Great book riveting

Nice read! It had a more personal feel than other Gram books, almost first person in places.

Granted that the paper quality of this book is poor, and hence the pictures aren't very clear. Granted also that the biographer's decision to imagine the thoughts going through Gram Parsons' head, even as he lay dying, is unusual and questionable (perhaps an attempt to explain how such a gifted person could self-destruct). Despite these criticisms I found the book a valuable chronicle of this legendary musician. Particularly outstanding are the interviews that were done with Gram's family, friends, and fellow musicians. They shine light on what he was like as a person, what his problems were, and especially his influence on other musicians, including those he never met. One gem of information was that Jim Lauderdale wrote "King of Broken Hearts" because of a remark Gram had once made about George Jones.Enjoyed the book and learned a lot.

It is not as 'intimate' as the title suggests and it is not overly clear the role Gram's daughter, Polly, had in the content. There is also quite a bit of imaginative licence on the author's part. Worth reading if you are already a fan.