Few were as devastated as Emmylou Harris when Gram Parsons passed away in 1973. Parsons, who was just 26 years old when he died of an overdose of drugs and alcohol, was a close friend of Harris, and a touring partner as well. So when Parsons unexpectedly died, Harris was heartbroken.
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Not surprisingly, Harris poured out her grief in song, penning "Boulder to Birmingham" for her sophomore Pieces of the Sky album, the only song she wrote for the record. "Boulder to Birmingham" says in part, "I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham / I would hold my life in his saving grace / I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham/ I f I thought I could see, I could see your face."
"That song was very important," Harris tells The Guardian. "Words can be so powerful to help you express something you otherwise can't. And everyone has experienced loss, so even though the song is deeply personal, I can understand how people can relate to it, having lost someone who is very close to them."
Gram Parsons' Influence on Emmylou Harris
Parsons might have left the world far too soon, but he left an indelible mark on Harris and her music. It's Parsons who showed Harris the power of singing harmonies. More than 50 years later, Harris still uses the lessons she learned from her time with Parsons.
Harris was on the road with Parsons, as part of his band, the Fallen Angels. He suggested they sing Felice and Boudleaux Bryant's "Love Hurts." The song unintentionally changed everything for Harris.
"I discovered my own voice singing in harmony with Gram," Harris reveals. "There is something about the uniqueness of two voices creating a sound that does not come when they are singing solo, and I have always been fascinated by that. That song, and our harmony, is kind of a pinnacle of our duet-singing together."
Parsons and Harris recorded the song together, which appeared on Parsons' Grievous Angel album, released a few months after his death.
"We probably did it all in one take, live," Harris says.
