Although he's not as well known outside music circles as Jimi Hendrix or Kurt Cobain, the early death of Gram Parsons was arguably just as great a loss. Parsons' country-rock hybrid became a touchstone for artists from the Rolling Stones to Elvis Costello to the '90s "alternative country" giants Uncle Tupelo and the Jayhawks. In addition to his importance as a songwriter, Parsons gave Emmylou Harris her big break. Now, Harris and co-executive producer Paul Kremen have handpicked an all-star list of artists, including Costello as well as Tupelo and Jayhawks descendants Wilco and the Rolling Creekdippers, for Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons. The songs, culled from Parsons' early days with the Byrds through his posthumously released solo album, Grievous Angel, are uniformly excellent, or better. The best covers, like Lucinda Williams and David Crosby's "Return of the Grievous Angel" and the Rolling Creekdippers' "In My Hour of Darkness," feature the soaring, intertwined harmonies Parsons and Harris turned into magic on the originals. Harris herself joins the Pretenders ("She"), Beck ("Sin City"), and Sheryl Crow ("Juanita") for songs Parsons did before he began recording with her. The resulting duets evoke why the original Grievous Angel, featuring Harris, was so stunning. ~ Mark Morgenstein, All Music Guide
Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons
07/13/1999 | Almo Sounds
All Music Guide Review
Track Listing
Credits
- Raul Malo
- Producer
- Jay Dee Maness
- Pedal Steel, Guitar (Steel)
- Gurf Morlix
- Lap Steel Guitar
- Jerry Dale McFadden
- Keyboards, Wurlitzer
- Buddy Miller
- Vocals, Guitar (12 String), Melodica, Engineer, Mixing, Producer
- Spooner Oldham
- Piano (Electric)
- Mark Olson
- Vocals
- Willie Ornelas
- Drums
- Herb Pedersen
- Producer
- Robert Reynolds
- Bass (Electric)
- Brad Rice
- Guitar (Electric)
- Adam Seymour
- Guitar
- Allen Sides
- Engineer, Mixing
- John Stirratt
- Bass, Vocals (Background)
- Stephen Street
- Producer
- Pete Thomas
- Drums
- Michael Timmins
- Guitar, Producer
- Peter Timmins
- Drums
- Jeff Trott
- Guitar (Electric)
- Robby Turner
- Pedal Steel
- Jeff Tweedy
- Vocals
- Wilco
- Producer, Performer
- Steve Donnelly
- Guitar (Acoustic)
- Smokey Hormel
- Guitar
- Trina Shoemaker
- Engineer, Mixing
- David Trumfio
- Vocals (Background), Engineer
- Joey Waronker
- Drums
- Whiskeytown
- Performer
- Gillian Welch
- Guitar, Drums, Performer, Vocals
- Ed Foote
- Hurdygurdy
- Mike Hagler
- Engineer
- Nick Kane
- Guitar (Electric)
- Leland Sklar
- Bass
- Ron Keith
- Photography
- David Rawlings
- Organ, Engineer, Vocals
- Raeanne Rubenstein
- Photography
- Bernard Matthews
- Engineer, Mixing
- Matthew Ellard
- Engineer
- Sue Kappa
- Assistant Engineer
- Raul Mato
- Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals, Guitar (Electric)
- Bud Scoppa
- Liner Notes
- Gregg Williams
- Drums
- Gabe Witcher
- Fiddle
- Ryan Adams
- Guitar, Vocals
- Daryl Smith
- Engineer
- Richard Causon
- Piano, Accordion, Organ (Hammond)
- Tim Smith
- Bass, Guitar
- Meghann Ahern
- Engineer
- Rolling Creekdippers
- Performer
- Scott Johnson
- Production Assistant
- Paul Kremen
- Executive Producer
- Juliana Hatfield
- Bass, Performer
- Sheryl Crow
- Guitar (Acoustic), Performer, Producer, Violin, Vocals
- Julie Miller
- Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Vocals
- Beck
- Guitar (Acoustic), Performer, Vocals
- Chris Lord-Alge
- Mixing
- Alan Anton
- Bass
- Roy Babbington
- Guitar (Bass)
- Dale Baker
- Drums
- Benmont Tench
- Organ
- Jay Bennett
- Guitar, Vocals (Background), Piano, Wurlitzer, Mixing
- Donny Bott
- Assistant
- Mike Bradley
- Engineer, Mixing
- Fran Breen
- Drums
- Mark Capps
- Engineer, Mixing Assistant, Assistant Engineer
- Martin Chambers
- Drums
- B.J. Cole
- Pedal Steel
- Jennifer Condos
- Bass
- Don Cook
- Producer
- Ken Coomer
- Drums, Vocals (Background)
- David Crosby
- Vocals, Performer
- Mike Daily
- Pedal Steel
- Evan Dando
- Guitar (Acoustic), Performer, Guitar (Electric)
- Paul Deakin
- Drums, Drum Loop
- Skip Edwards
- Piano
- Glyn Johns
- Producer, Mixing, Engineer
- Michael Henderson
- Guitar (Electric)
- Andy Hobson
- Bass
- Steve Holroyd
- Engineer, Mixing Assistant, Assistant Engineer
- Dave Houghton
- Percussion
- Byron House
- Bass
- Chrissie Hynde
- Vocals
- Ethan Johns
- Guitar, Mixing, Producer, Guitar (Electric), Drums, Percussion, Mandolin
- Bernie Leadon
- Guitar (Electric)
- Greg Leisz
- Mandolin, Lap Steel Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm)
- Emmylou Harris
- Guitar (Acoustic), Executive Producer, Performer, Producer, Vocals
- Chris Hillman
- Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals, Performer
- Jim Lauderdale
- Vocals
- The Mavericks
- Performer
- Elvis Costello
- Piano, Vocals, Celeste, Performer, Vibraphone
- Cowboy Junkies
- Performer
- Steve Earle
- Guitar (Acoustic), Vocals
- The Pretenders
- Performer
- Lucinda Williams
- Guitar (Acoustic), Performer, Vocals
- Victoria Williams
- Banjo, Vocals
- John Jorgenson
- Guitar










