Ingram Cecil Connor III, known professionally as Gram Parsons, is a singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Biography[]
At a music industry party in Malibu, California held by Lou Meshejian of Newville Records, Richie Finestra and Zak Yankovich meet with Gram Parsons and Stephen Stills. While trying to sway the both of them to come on over to American Century Records, Gram tells Richie that he's planning on going to Joshua Tree with his girlfriend. He encourages Richie that he should get out to Joshua Tree, and gives a captivating description of the park as a place of “wild silver and furious gold," and "where the desert meets the sky," suggesting that Richie could maybe rediscover “that thing of beauty maybe you lost or let go.”
Trivia[]
- Gram Parsons is best known for his work within the country music genre; he also popularized what he called "Cosmic American Music," a hybrid of country, rhythm and blues, soul, folk, and rock.
- 1973, Gram Parsons did travel to Joshua Tree National Park with his high school girlfriend, his assistant Michael Martin and Martin's girlfriend. Parsons spent time in the desert during the day and at local bars at night, consuming barbiturates and alcohol every day. On September 18, after injecting himself with morphine, Parsons overdosed. He was declared dead on September 19, 1973, upon arrival at the hospital.
