The Complete Reprise Sessions

Gram Parsons’ overdose on September 19, 1973 at age 26 ensured a certain legendary status for the man who brought country music to the rock n’ roll audience. His work with the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers merged his love of Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and George Jones with his equal affection for the Rolling Stones. His erratic personal life was mirrored in his musical output. He recorded just two solo albums — 1973’s G.P. and 1974’sGrievous Angel — for Reprise Records in the early 1970s, not living to see the release of the second. Both albums are stocked with highlights and feature the emergence of another future country heavyweight in Emmylou Harris, whose harmonies perfectly compliment Parsons throughout. A third disc of alternate takes will be of strong interest to Parsons fanatics, but mostly prove the producers of the original sets could discern the quality between the different takes. The real magic is heard in transcendent tracks ranging from the George Jones cover “That’s All It Took” and Parsons ori