Gram Parsons was an American singer-songwriter from Canton, Mississippi, who began his career in the mid-1960s and worked in country-rock and folk-rock projects with groups including the International Submarine Band, the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers. He blended traditional country instrumentation with rock rhythms and folk sensibilities—often labelled country-rock or "Cosmic American Music"—and played a clear role in the development of Americana and alt-country through his songwriting and arrangements.
