Calling me home Gram Parsons and the roots of country rock

Kealing (Tupperware Unsealed: Brownie Wise, Earl Tupper, and the Home Party Pioneers) here emphasizes the distinctly Southern roots of country rock pioneer Gram Parsons (1946-73). Kealing details the musician's journey from early admirer of Elvis to "urban folkie" to his ultimate musical explorations of what the author refers to as "cosmic America" as a member of the Byrds and the founder of the Flying Burrito Brothers. In the late Sixties and early Seventies, Parsons helped integrate the distinct, though related, strains of rock and country music, creating a new kind of sound that changed the trajectory of rock. From his brief but influential stint with the Byrds to the formation of the Flying Burrito Brothers and further solo work with Emmylou Harris, Parsons's career as a guitarist and singer/songwriter was cut short when he died of an overdose at age 26. Using interviews with his friends, family, and fellow musicians and contemporary visits to the primarily Southern sites associated with Parsons, Kealing mines the cultural geography of a region and time period while narrating the story of a musician who has remained influential over the past 40 years. Verdict Kealing's detailed biography will appeal to rock fans looking to read more about a formative time in music history through the story of one of its most pivotal figures.-James Collins, Morristown-Morris Twp. P.L., NJ (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.