Album of the Day

Singer-songwriter Gram Parsons passed briefly through such groups as The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers, leaving just a handful of albums - but planting the seeds of country rock wherever he went. At the end of his all-too-brief life, Parsons cut a couple of solo collections for Reprise that are shining examples of the form: 1973's GP and 1974's GRIEVOUS ANGEL. Rhino's 2006 boxed set THE COMPLETE REPRISE SESSIONS adds a disc's worth of alternate takes and interviews to these two fine releases. Gram always kept good musical company, and performers heard here in support include singer Emmylou Harris, guitarists James Burton and Barry Tashian (of The Remains), fiddler Byron Berline and Eagles co-founder Bernie Leadon. Gram Parsons died on this day in 1973, and we'll remember the “cosmic American music” pioneer with the 3-CD set THE COMPLETE REPRISE SESSIONS.