"Even by the standards of California's drug-and-guitars-fueled 1970s, it's one of the wildest stories to emerge from the era: a musician on the precipice of worldwide fame died from an overdose, and his friends, intent on giving him the sendoff they believed he wanted, attempted to cremate him in the high desert. Fueled by illicit substances, the best intentions and the least possible regard for the law, they stole his remains and built a funeral pyre in Joshua Tree."
"The burgeoning rock star died in 1973, at age 26. He had briefly been a member of the Byrds and then formed the Flying Burrito Brothers with Byrds bassist Chris Hillman, and was about to release his second solo album at the time of his death. But Parsons was a significant influence on some of the era's most seminal musicians; Keith Richards credits his friend with teaching him about country music and inspiring his musical development."
Gram Parsons, a pioneering musician, died in 1973 at age 26 after overdosing while on the verge of wider fame. He had been briefly a member of the Byrds, co-founded the Flying Burrito Brothers with Chris Hillman, and was about to release his second solo album. Friends stole his remains and attempted to cremate him on a funeral pyre in Joshua Tree, an act that fused lawlessness with devotion and became legendary. Parsons coined and popularized 'cosmic American rock,' blending country and rock in a folksy but broadly appealing style that deeply influenced contemporaries like Keith Richards.
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