Grievous Angel: An Intimate Biography of Gram Parsons [Paperback]

Jessica Hundley (Author), Polly Parsons (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 2005

There has never been a better time for a book on Gram Parsons. At the thirty-year anniversary of his death, his sound, a mix of country and rock 'n' roll, is absolutely everywhere. Popular musicians of today trace their inspiration to pick up a guitar to when they first heard his music. His songs and his style have had a lasting effect on the music of our time. Now, together with Parsons's daughter, Polly, Jessica Hundley has created an intimate and extensive biography that brings together never-before-seen photos and illustrations, unpublished letters, and in-depth interviews with some of the many artists whose work was shaped by Parsons, including Keith Richards, Emmylou Harris, Wilco, and Ryan Adams, among many others. Grievous Angel is the tribute that the legions of Parsons fans have been waiting for—a book that brings to life the story of the Southern boy who revolutionized the way music sounds.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The psychedelic '60s had more than its share of excess, and nowhere was this truer than in the Los Angeles music scene. Parsons, one of the originators of country rock, was all too typical, rising to stardom and dead of a morphine overdose at age 26. In this fluffy, interview-packed biography, music journalist Hundley and Parsons's daughter, Polly, who was seven when Parsons died in 1973, chronicle his life, from his privileged but troubled Southern childhood to his cremation in the California desert. Born into a wealthy Florida family, Parsons was encouraged by his mother and stepfather to nurture his musical ambitions. Dropping out of Harvard, Parsons landed in L.A. in 1966 and charmed the hippie-resistant country crowd; joined the seminal band the Byrds; fathered a child (Polly); formed the Flying Burrito Brothers; befriended Keith Richards; and discovered Emmylou Harris, periodically returning to Florida to pick up his trust fund installments. Although the authors take considerable artistic license describing Parsons's thoughts, they fail to provide more than a superficial portrait. Heavy on atmosphere but frustratingly light on insight, this biography portrays an ambitious, charming, spoiled and self-destructive artist who might be better remembered through his music. Photos.
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About the Author

Jessica Hundley has been a freelance writer for the past decade, specializing in film and music journalism. She has interviewed numerous actors, directors, and musicians for a variety of publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Premiere, Blender, Mojo, Interview, BlackBook and The Guardian, among many others. She lives in Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (October 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560256737
• ISBN-13: 978-1560256731
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars A Disappointing Work of Historical Fiction January 9, 2009

By Paddy O'Hooligan

Format:Paperback

Sadly, Gram Parsons becomes a fictional character in his own biography. I was really hoping this would be a better read then the Ben Fong-Torres bio, but boy was I wrong. I appreciate Jessica Hundley's effort, but this "bio" is made up at best and sheds no light on the Southern Gothic story that is Gram & the Snively clan. The writing and research are sloppy and lazy. She tends to use clunky, overly dramatic descriptions often ("Gram looked out at the upturned faces; a hundred eyes watched as his hands played and watched his face as he held a note in his throat. Something that had been inside him suddenly slipped together again. He felt his lungs and his cheeks go hot. He smiled, gazing into the pale face of a girl in front for just a moment too long, felt her surrender, saw the boys and their envy, and for the first time, felt whole.") Ugh. Gram says and thinks a lot of things in this book. He also winks, smiles, stares at himself in the mirror, thinks deeply about things, etc.

Important facts are downplayed or left out (we don't find out that Gram Connor is immediately adopted by his stepfather and becomes Gram "Parsons" until way into the book -- he's just Gram until the "oh yeah, forgot to mention" moment); the Connor clan and his relationship with them is barely mentioned, etc.

Also, editing is pretty terrible, especially in a book about a musician --we're treated to Arthur Conley's "That's Alright, Mama" & Bourdeleaux Bryant's "Love Hurts" (it's Arthur Crudup & Boudleaux Bryant). At one point, even Gram's little sister Avis ("Little Avis") becomes "Little Avril" on page 190. Some accepted facts are wrong -- in Fong-Torres' book, Bernie Leadon sings the hymn "Farther Along" at Clarence White's funeral, a very poignant and touching moment.... In this book, it's not Bernie but Gram, who "sick in his guts and sad to the core" starts to sing "an old hymn" as others join in, "fill(ing) their lungs with their grief."

I really, really wanted to like this book. What I can't fathom is why Jessica Hundley decided to make most of it up. What this amounts to is a fairy-tale fanbook with only some basis in the truth. How about some interviews? The Snivelys are still in the citrus business in Florida. I'm sure there are some Connors still around in Tennessee. Emmylou, Road Mangler, Bernie Leadon, Hillman, McGuinn, James Burton, Roland White, Merle Haggard, are all still alive. Why not travel to Winter Haven, Jax, Waycross, Tennessee, etc., and get the feel for what Gram experienced? What's with all the "fan" interviews? Who cares?

Unfortunately, what this book does is turn Gram into a semi-fictional character who somehow became an influential musician. Simply making up words and thoughts for Gram does nothing to highlight the complex and troubled character he must have been. It only makes me wish Jessica Hundley had written an actual biography and not a book based on a true story. It hurts me to say this because I admire the fact that Ms. Hundley wanted to share a story and seems to truly love the subject, but the book is pretty terrible -- in many ways, it's her story, not Gram's. Get Ben Fong-Torres' book instead. Read more ›

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars sad but intriguing tale June 3, 2006

By Carolyn L. Carter

Format:Paperback

I really enjoyed this book and found it the most user friendly of all the books written about country rock legend Gram Parsons. It presents him in a realistic light, warts and all. He was a remarkably talented young man who had it all. Unfotrunately the one thing he lacked was self-discipline and that ended up being the end of him. Nonetheless, the musical and social/personal journey he had in his short life make for great reading. I highly recommmend it. I found it fun to be playing some GP music softly in the background while I read it. This really made some cool ambience.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Making money off GP February 14, 2007

By Karla

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Save your money. There's nothing new here except the author's thoughts attributed to Gram as if she could read his mind. Buy the Ben Fong-Torres book and just look at the pictures in this one.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars buy twenty thousand by david n meyer... this book is not accurate April 3, 2008

By B. Harris

Format:Paperback

besides the cool pics in this book.... the author has seemed to have forgotten that u can not make up things in a biography... she puts her own thoughts into the book as if they were grams... the book is very inaccurate... the author doesnt even have a bibliography its like wikapedia u can not trust it... do not buy it... twenty thousand roads by david n meyer is the best and most accurate bio on gram and it comes with a very detailed bibliography so u know its real and not some dumb opinion from a moronic author... shame on jessica hundley for wirtting this book..

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Respectful biography of Gram Parsons by his daughter January 31, 2006

By Rex Chickeneater

Format:Paperback

Is there anything new that can be said about the life of Gram Parsons? Perhaps not, but his fascinating and tragic life still makes for interesting, if not compelling reading in the hands of talented writers. Jessica Hundley and Polly Parsons' "Grevious Angel" will not supplant Fong-Torres' "Hickory Wind" as the main reference source on his life. Their book is not based on the same extensive research as "Hickory Wind"; however, "Grevious Angel" does contain numerous text boxes of usually one to three page duration which contain testimonials about Parsons' influence or first-hand accounts of the man himself. While Hundley and Parsons do portray Parsons as a musical visionary, they do not understate, nor excuse, nor glorify his terrible substance abuse and reckless lifestyle, which resulted in his untimely demise. Overall, the book is likely to appeal to younger or recent fans of Gram Parsons, rather than the old timers, who probably know his life triumphs and tragedies in greater depth than the account presented here.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Truly awful January 9, 2013

By L. Ross

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Why is this book written as if the author had a direct line to Gram Parsons' thoughts and feelings? Why does she feel the need to fill in the gaps with happy little thoughts and asides? It's truly dreadful. Interviews with too many obscure musicians/fringe dwellers. Opinions from people whose opinions no-one is interested in. I actually bought this book for the photos - and was extremely disappointed. The poor quality reproduction of the photos makes most of them impossible to distinguish who's who! A waste of time and money.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Goofy, indulgent waste of money--STAY AWAY! June 18, 2007

By Duski

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Ben Fong-Torres book is much more thoroughly researched, and doesn't rely on the ridiculous invented dialogue that Hundley imagines went on between Parsons and his friends.

If GP was as shallow and moronic as he's portrayed in this book, he could never have written and recorded the beautiful, moving music that he left us.

In addition, Hundley interviews anyone she can think of, including her own friends and people who never had anything to do with Parsons.

WTF?