Just as the 1970s were getting underway, rock and roll was beginning to take on a more rustic feel. The Woodstock generation was largely burned out on heavy music and wanted the opportunity to create something a little more mellow, even though a lot of great talent may have been lost to the hippy movement. Even though Don Henley is on tour with the Eagles and enjoys the recognition that comes with being a member of one of the most prestigious country rock bands, he believes that Gramme Parsons set the foundation for everything the group accomplished.
There used to be country rock and roll as well as country rock. Though there had been outlaw country legends such as Johnny Cash who gained public respect, you couldn’t expect to hear Kenny Rogers and Led Zeppelin on the radio together. This was unlikely to happen very soon.
However, some aspects remained transferable, and The Byrds received a boost when collaborating with Parsons on Sweetheart of the Rodeo. Parsons was the type of rocker who knew country music inside and out. He had the swagger of John Wayne and the rock chops of Keith Richards. This was after David Crosby left to form his own supergroup.
Even though Parsons opened doors for the genre, the Eagles quickly stole some of his thunder inadvertently. Songs like “Take It Easy” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling” made their debut in the early 1970s. Parsons created these songs alongside one of his former bandmates, Bernie Leadon. They were the kind that any rock star could listen to and enjoy just as much as the world’s cowboys.
Years later, Henley was still of the opinion that Parsons was the one who first popularized country music. He cited the Rolling Stones as an example. “A lot of the things that the Stones recorded had a country flavour to it,” Henley said in reflection on the genre. They became lost in the American South’s musical culture. Keith had met Gram Parsons, the de facto father of country rock. He sat Keith down and showed him records by George Jones, Hank Williams, and other artists, telling him that this was the essence of American country music.
The country rock community didn’t give Parsons’s work much love until he released his posthumous album Grievous Angel. However, every act that followed him still reflects his influence. This includes not only Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris but also some of the best work from The Stones’ later period. This period included the excellent songs “Coming Down Again” and “Far Away Eyes” from Some Girls. Additionally, other artists who made their name in the industry are also part of this collection.
Given the Eagles’ extensive catalogue of hits, Henley was always willing to embrace the term “country rock”. However, it would be foolish to ignore the hint of Parsons’ influence in the band’s performance. Similar to his work with The Byrds, it’s sometimes squawky and a little rough around the edges. But when it hits its stride, it’s unmatched.
