Gram Parsons: The Last Whipporwill

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

From www.tipworld.com

THE GRAM PARSONS NOTEBOOK: THE LAST WHIPPOORWILL (Shellpoint/Echomusic)

When Gram Parsons died in 1973, he left behind a notebook full of set lists, to-do lists, doodles, grocery lists, and a handful of finished and partially completed song lyrics. Gram's sister Avis gave the notebook to John Nuese, who played with Parsons in the International Submarine Band. In 1993, Nuese met Mike Ward, who put music to
"Blurry, Slurry Night", one of Parsons' more complete lyrics. Over the years, other songwriters like Jim Lauderdale and Carl Jackson also added music to the words. This CD is the result of their efforts. Along with performances by Jackson and Lauderdale on the songs they worked on, there are appearances by Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, James Burton, The Woodys, and Larry Cordle. Six of the 12 songs here feature Parsons' lyrics with new music. The remaining tracks are songs that Parsons completed while he was alive, like "Hickory Wind" and "A Song
for You," and tribute songs like "Dead Flowers" and "Barefootin'." The CD booklet reprints the original notebook page along with the new versions of the lyrics so you can see how much reconstruction was done, which in most cases was quite extensive. One song, "No One Knows I'm Lonesome," was created from a single line. The performers all do an excellent job with the songs, but ultimately the project falls short. Unfortunately it doesn't seem possible to grow a song from a scrap of lyrical DNA.

JB Arnold · From: Longmont,Co,USA (deceased)

Hi Jim!

A noble effort, I'm sure. But, in line with your final comment, I have always had a sneaking suspicion that if Gram were alive today to defend himself, virtually NONE of these posthumous releases would have ever seen the light of day. Like the song completed from just one line, there has been a rush by some to latch onto anything that can somehow be connected by any 6 degrees to this poor guys fingertips and get it into the market. I think his legacy suffers for it.

John

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Fulawka D-10 9&5
Better Late than Never!
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel

[This message was edited by JB Arnold on 27 September 2000 at 09:42 PM.]

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Hi, John:
You may be right about that. But, just to clarify, please note that it wasn't my final comment. I'm just pasting in a posting from another source (www.tipworld.com). I've not heard the album in question.
Best to ya,
Jim

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

Jim - Please clarify. You said on the one hand "the project falls short", but then stated on the other you've not heard the album in question. ????????????? Best, Boomer

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Boomer, let me try to clarify this one more time. I did not write the material posted above. I received it as an email from wwww.tipworld.com, who writes and publishes reviews of music. I just thought that Forumites would be interested in reading it. I've never heard the album, and I have no opinion of it whatsoever. Clear enough now, guys?

RickRichtmyer · From: Beautiful Adamstown, MD

Jim, are you sure you didn't write that?

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Rick Richtmyer
Good News

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

There is a new book on Gram Parsons well into the works, I spoke to the guy writing it the other week, nice guy and definately up to the task.
His name is Jason, but it sure ain't me!
I've got enought to write without risking the wrath of all the Gram Parsons groupies out there. {now that I think about it, I'm one myself ...}

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The future ain't what it used to be

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

Clarification accepted, Jim. I on the one hand have heard the album. Wait a minute, I played on it! I thought it was a good effort by Mike Ward and Carl Jackson to try to capture some of that California country-rock vibe from the early 70's. At the risk of having rocks thrown at me, I never was a Gram Parsons fan. "Hickory Wind" to me is a melodic rip-off of "Satisfied Mind"; Gram had the unique ability to afford to hang out with the Rolling Stones and do as much drugs as he could (he received money from a trust set up by his parents who were large property owners in Florida).

To his credit, however, he did have an iconoclastic vibe that transcended his music and led the way for others with more talent to further the cause of California country rock. Ironically the greatest song he ever wrote, which has become to me a water mark of rock and roll which few other songs have approached, is one he didn't get credit for, "Honky Tonk Woman". Recently however, Keith Richards acknowledged that the basics of the song were from Gram Parsons. Best, Boomer

Jude James Shiels · From: near Dublin, Ireland

Anytime a UK music magazine does a 100 greatest albums of all time poll which is quite a regular occurrence, the only country record usually to make it, somewhere in the lower reaches is 'Grevious Angel'. Quite ironic since it would never make an all time country 100.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

OK, Boomer. Now I see why you were acting so peculiar about this!

JB Arnold · From: Longmont,Co,USA (deceased)

Hi Jim !

I kinda THOUGHT that looked like it was out of a magazine or something....

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Fulawka D-10 9&5
Better Late than Never!
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Jim, next time slip it in 'quotes', then everyone will figure it out.

Sounds like an interesting project, Boomer if you're still checking out this topic, who else played on it that you know of?

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

The only well-known entity of note I can remember on the project was Marty Stuart. Of course Carl Jackson on banjo and guitar, Rick Lonow on drums, Eddie Dunbar on vocals and bass, Al Perkins on Dobro and Steel.

The project was done over about an 18 month period, so I know I'm leaving out some notables, as I wasn't there for the whole project. My favorite cut on the album is the title cut "The Last Whipporwill", written by John Nuese and Mike Ward. Captured the vibe. Best, Boomer

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Sounds like a great project, Boomer weren't you part of a Nashville concert that was a tribute to Gene Clark recently? {with Andrew Gold performing?}

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

Jason - Yes, I played on that tribute. I really love doing those, as that was my era, I suppose. There is one coming up with Hoyt Axton, and as I played on his last professional recordings, I am anxious to participate in that one as well. Best, Boomer

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

All right Boomer, sounds good.
Seems like the time is right to listen to country rock again, West Coast style that is.
I'm hoping that your own project is going well.

Boomer · From: Brentwood, TN USA

I finally receivd a copy from Shellpoint Records of the project I played on "The Last Whipporwill" (The Gram Parsons notebook), and for what it is, its really good. Not just a bunch of Nashville briefcase songwriters taking grocery/laundry lists from Gram and making songs out of them, as has been suggested by some reviews. The extensive liner notes show from whence the songs came (in Gram's own handwriting) with a history of how the songs had begun from Gram's fruition to the final recordings with the help of some of the most creative non-Nashville writers I've heard.

Speculating on what Gram would've thought of the project is somewhat akin to saying "If my butt was rubber, I could bounce over my head". Maybe, maybe not. John Nuese, however knew the mindset of Gram perhaps better than anybody, and if you know John like I do, he would never let something half-baked come out of the oven and be served to the public; he doesn't need the money, and his personal integrity is second to none.

Jason Odd had asked who the players are: and while the complete list is too numerous to mention here, the well known ones are Elvis' whole band (including James Burton), Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, Randy Howard, Al Perkins, Carl Jackson, Jerry Douglas, Dave Pomeroy, Steve Turner, Matt Rollings, Glen Duncan, Mark Casstevens, and Gary Morris (the steel player). There are more, of course; If interested in purchasing the album on line, contact the following website: www.thegramparsonsnotebook.com
It is an album you will want to listen to more than once, Best, Boomer

[This message was edited by Boomer on 30 October 2000 at 04:30 PM.]

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Boomer, respect man, total respect.

Oh.. and thanks for the session details, I think this is up with the first Billy Bragg & Wilco set of Woody Guthrie tunes.
Excellent concept.