If there is any artist that should be crowned the pure instigator of the current burgeoning Americana movement (Avett Brothers, Jason Isbell, Margo Price), it should certainly be Gram Parsons. Although his time with The Byrds was short-lived, his contributions to 1968’s Sweetheart of the Rodeo are undeniable. Parsons added a graceful twang and melancholic melodies that were true hook line and sinker and made country music accessible for a younger audience.
Christian Parker has recognized this ambassador of an album and his new album Sweethearts (due out 8/18), Parker pays loving tribute to the iconic Byrds’ album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. He revisits the entire album, adding three tracks not on the original—“I Still Miss Someone”; “Satisfied Mind”; “Drugstore Truck Driving Man”—and pulls from every track the heart-rending beauty of each song. If you close your eyes, you would be forgiven if you thought you were listening to the original, for Parker’s vocals capture the echoing purity of Parsons’ efforts to import the clarity of country music into vibrant rock rhythms. Just as Parsons loved the Louvin Brothers, Merle Haggard, and Cindy Walker, and wanted to deliver faithful versions of their songs “The Christian Life,” “Life in Prison,” and “Blue Canadian Rockies,” so Parker delivers the Byrds’ versions in tender, faithful renditions that capture the groundbreaking character of the original album, just as his own versions are distinctive.
Glide is premiering Parker’s take on the aching “Hickory Wind,” where his natural warm earnest singing charms immediately. With a lonesome prairie steel guitar and swooning violin, Parker brings a cinematic flair of melancholy and imagery that is musically impactful.
“I always felt this was Gram Parsons’ songwriting masterpiece. It’s a tender ballad, and the lyrics and melody are timeless. It has been in my repertoire for decades. Of all the songs on the Sweethearts tribute, I wanted to make this version my interpretation, and it’s also slightly longer than the original. Tracer James played the pedal steel guitar, and Jennifer Kessler played violin, and she also sang a beautiful harmony vocal track. Her singing a vocal was spontaneous, but it made the song. It was a highlight for me, for sure. Both Tracer & Jennifer are the stars of this song, and I was fortunate to have them on it,” says Parker.
