29 Facts About Gram Parsons

Ingram Cecil Connor III, known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist.

Gram Parsons recorded with the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, popularizing what he called "Cosmic American Music", a hybrid of country, rhythm and blues, soul, folk, and rock.

Gram Parsons attended The Bolles School in Jacksonville before transferring to the public Winter Haven High School; after failing his junior year there, he returned to Bolles.

Robert Gram Parsons had been having an affair with Diane's nanny; they married shortly after Avis' death.

Gram Parsons went on to Harvard, which he attended for one semester.

Gram Parsons developed strong musical interests early in life, particularly after seeing Elvis Presley perform in concert in Waycross, on February 22,1956.

Heavily influenced by The Kingston Trio and The Journeymen, the band played hootenannies, coffee houses and high school auditoriums; as Gram Parsons was still enrolled in prep school, he performed with the group only in select engagements.

In February 1968, Gram Parsons passed an audition for the band, being initially recruited as a jazz pianist but soon adding rhythm guitar and vocals.

Gram Parsons was on salary; that was the only way we could get him to turn up.

However, as recording plans were made, Gram Parsons persuaded the other members to leave Los Angeles and record the album in Nashville.

However, Gram Parsons was still under contract to LHI Records and Hazlewood threatened legal action over Gram Parsons' appearance on the album.

Gram Parsons was dismissed after two songs and the band used session drummers, including former International Submarine Band drummer Jon Corneal and Popeye Phillips.

Gram Parsons was taking psilocybin and cocaine, so his performances were erratic.

Midway through their set, Gram Parsons joined the headline act and fronted his former group on renditions of "Hickory Wind" and "You Don't Miss Your Water".

Gram Parsons was replaced by lead guitarist Bernie Leadon, while Hillman reverted to bass.

Disenchanted, Gram Parsons left the Burritos in mutual agreement with Hillman; under Hillman, the group recorded one more album before dissolving in 1971.

Gram Parsons accompanied the Rolling Stones on their 1971 UK tour in the hope of being signed to the newly-formed Rolling Stones Records.

Gram Parsons lived at Richards' French villa Nellcote during the recording of Exile on Main Street, though he contributed little to the process.

Gram Parsons attempted to rekindle his relationship with the band on their 1972 American tour, to no avail.

Gram Parsons returned to the US for a one-off concert with the Burritos.

In 1971, Gram Parsons married Gretchen Burrell at his stepfather's New Orleans estate.

The fire proved to be the last straw in the relationship between Burrell and Gram Parsons, who moved into a spare room in Kaufman's house.

Gram Parsons rekindled his relationship with Margaret Fisher, a high school sweetheart from Waycross.

Gram Parsons had one child, born to Nancy Ross in 1967, a daughter named Polly Gram Parsons.

On both nights of their stay, Gram Parsons retreated to the desert, consuming large amounts of alcohol and barbiturates, while the rest of the group visited bars in nearby Yucca Valley.

Gram Parsons said that he'd drink for the three of them and drank six double tequilas.

Gram Parsons put him to bed and went out to buy coffee in the hope of reviving him, leaving McElroy to stand guard.

The Gram Parsons Guitar Pull and Tribute Festival, in Waycross, Georgia, was founded in 1997 and continues today.

In November 2009, the musical theatre production Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parsons premiered, starring Anders Drerup as Gram Parsons and Kelly Prescott as Emmylou Harris.