Short Biography

Gram Parsons is the father of country-rock. With the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, the songwriter pioneered the concept of a rock band playing country music, and as a solo artist he moved even further into the country realm, blending the two genres to the point that they became indistinguishable from each other. While he was alive, Parsons was a cult figure that never sold many records but influenced countless fellow musicians, from the Rolling Stones to the Byrds. In the years since his death, his stature has only grown, as numerous rock and country artists build on his small, but enormously influential, body of work.

Gram Parsons was born Cecil Ingram Connor on November 5, 1946. He was the grandson of John Snivley, who owned roughly one-third of all the citrus fields in Florida, and the son of Coon Dog Connor, an Air Force veteran who owned a box-making factory in Waycross, Georgia. As a child, Parsons learned how to play the piano at the age of nine, the same year he saw Elvis Presley perform at his school; following the seminal performance, Parsons decided to become a musician. When he was 12, Parsons` father committed suicide, and the family moved in with Parsons` grandparents in Winter Haven, FL. A year after the move, his mother married Robert Parsons; Gram was then adopted by his stepfather, and the child legally changed his name to Gram Parsons.

At the age of 14, Parsons began playing in the local rock & roll band the Pacers, which evolved into the Legends. During its time together, the Legends featured Jim Stafford and Kent Lavoie, who would later come to fame under the name Lobo. In 1963, Parsons formed a folk group called the Shilos who performed throughout Florida and cut several demos. He graduated from high school two years later; on the same day he graduated, however, his mother died of alcohol poisoning.

Following his graduation, Gram Parsons enrolled at Harvard to study theology. He only spent one semester at Harvard, during which time he devoted more energy to playing music than attending classes. Meanwhile, he also formed the International Submarine Band with guitarist John Nuese, bassist Ian Dunlop and drummer Mickey Gauvin. After he dropped out of college, Parsons moved to New York City with the International Submarine Band in 1966. The group spent a year in New York, developing a heavily country-influenced rock & roll sound and cutting two unsuccessful singles for Columbia Records. The band then relocated to Los Angeles in 1967, where they secured a record contract with Lee Hazlewood`s LHI record label. Their debut album, Safe at Home, was released in early 1968, but by the time it appeared in stores, the International Submarine Band had already disbanded.

Around the time the International Submarine Band dissolved, Parsons met Chris Hillman, the bassist for the Byrds. At that time, the Byrds were rebuilding their lineup and Hillman recommended to the band`s leader, Roger McGuinn, that Parsons join the ranks. By the spring of 1968, Parsons had become a member of the Byrds and was largely responsible for the group`s shift towards country music with the album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. The album was originally planned to feature Parsons` lead vocals, but as he was still contractually obligated to LHI, his voice had to be stripped from the final product.

Gram Parsons only spent a few months with the Byrds, leaving the band in the fall of 1968

Who's Dated Who content is contributed and edited by our readers. Please report errors or omissions on this page.