The Americana and roots music authority

Win a copy of 'Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock'

Every form of music has its fallen heroes – the artists whose careers had only just begun – with remarkable promise and inimitable skill – when they were suddenly, tragically over. The loss of Gram Parsons when he was just 26 years old has given rise to a community of fans dedicated to learning more about his unfortunately short-lived genius. So, adding to the cadre of books about the late, great Parsons, is a new tale titled Calling Me Home.

To get you in the spirit of the season, University Press of Florida and No Depression are "Calling You Home for the Holidays." Bob Kealing's new book Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock focuses on Parsons's southern roots, influences and legacy from childhood to the end of his short but highly-influential career.

Using dozens of new primary source interviews, never before published letters, photos and family memoirs, Calling Me Home takes you on a road less travelled filled with surprises and revelations for those new to the Parsons saga to the most stalwart fans of the Grievous Angel.

To enter to win one of three signed copies of the book, leave a comment about what in Parsons's music at any phase of his career gives you a feeling of home. Or, just tell us what musical memories of your own call you home for the holidays. You don't have to write about Gram Parsons to win.

To enter this contest, simply scroll to the bottom of this page and leave your comment in the comment field. You have until 11:59 pm PST on Monday, Dec. 17, to enter. Three winners will then be chosen, contacted, and announced the following day.

Comments posted on Facebook, Twitter, or as separate blog posts, will not be counted.

Good luck!

Read an excerpt of chapter one and chapter two from Calling Me Home.

We also have an active Gram Parsons Group here on the ND site so check that out!

Comment by Will James on December 12, 2012 at 7:58am: I don't think anyone here is "outclassed" (imo). This is all amazing testament. Glad I don't have to choose three.

Comment by Arlene on December 12, 2012 at 8:13am: Every time I hear "Hickory Wind" I think of home, which may seem a bit odd since I'm from NYC. One musical memory to pass on-- a couple of years ago I attended a 3 Girls and Their Buddy concert in Boston and when it came time for one of her solos, Shawn Colvin noted that they were coming to the end of this segment of their tour and she was glad because she was missing home. She then commented that she "owes it all to Gram and Em" and said that "whenever I feel homesick, I like to sing this song." She then performed "Hickory Wind" solo, with just an acoustic guitar. Emmylou Harris was visibly moved-- the word "verklempt" came to mind.

Comment by Hans L'Orange on December 12, 2012 at 8:42am: I have to go back to about 1975 when we're celebrating Thanksgiving at Tom and Sue's house in Northern Colorado - a little football and frisbee, a little eating, drinking and smoking, and good conversation with music constantly in the background. At one point, Sweetheart of the Rodeo comes on and my music life changed - "What the hell was that?" I'd always enjoyed a broad range of music but that's what started me down this long road we now call Americana. Thank you Gram.

Comment by Patrick Noah on December 12, 2012 at 10:06am: My mother passed away on November 26, 2012 from Alzheimers-related issues – she was just a few days shy of her 89^th birthday. For the next week I poked around the house, trying to help my sister make sense of what needed to be done with all the stuff that Mom and Dad had filled it with in the +50 years they lived there before dad passed away in 2006. A good chance to think about the years spent growing up there, one of 7 kids in a 3-bedroom house.

In the basement were several boxes with my name written on the side, things that I forgot to take with me when I moved out after college. Mostly stuff I should have thrown away years ago, including a box with some of my old vinyl. Was pretty clear why most of this was here – lots of things I had lost interest in quite awhile ago, like Grand Funk Railroad, Iron Butterfly, Black Sabbath, etc. What stopped me was my copy of Gram’s Grievous Angel album. I guess I didn’t take it with me because it was pretty beat up and I have bought it over and over in just about every format it has been released in.

Seeing that worn out piece of vinyl made me think of Mom when I was a teen - she made a regular habit of tapping on my door to remind me to turn down my music because she was trying to read at bedtime....except that first time I was playing Grievous Angel. Mom asked me who that was and said she really liked it. It was a kind of validation for me, as listening to Gram and the Burritos was a step change in my musical tastes. I was sure this was important music, but none of my buddies were listening to anything like it. From then on I kept it in regular rotation on my turntable, and I heard Mom humming stuff like Hickory Wind, Brass Buttons, $1000 Wedding and Ooh Las Vegas for weeks later.

That’s a memory I am going to hold onto.

Thanks Gram!

Comment by steve o'gwin on December 12, 2012 at 1:21pm: Gram Parsons is a huge influence on the music I write, true americana, with roots in rock, blues, soul, country and traditional folk music. I hav elistened to every song he ever did over and over again, until I can tell in the first few notes what song it is, and love them as much today as when i first discovered Gram, when I saw him with the Byrds all those many years ago!

Comment by Tim Young on December 12, 2012 at 8:08pm: Was driving through Texas and New Mexico from Austin to Roswell. It's the desert, man. My girl popped in the Gram Parson tribute CD, Return of the Grievous Angel. All tracks are great but when Chris Hillman & Steve Earle do 'High Fashion Queen' The 75 miles per hour feels like 150 and makes me so damn glad I'm flying...

Comment by Bob Hatfield on December 13, 2012 at 3:34am: Hearing a Gram Parsons song is all I need to feel at home

Comment by Pete Grannis on December 13, 2012 at 6:45am: I've always liked "In My Hour of Darkness". That simple prayer refrain "oh Lord grant me vision, oh Lord grant me speed" rings in my mind when I'm headed home.

Comment by John O. Tabor on December 13, 2012 at 12:41pm: When I got out of high school in 1970 I wanted to get the hell out of my home in Alabama. So I went to Illinois, Arizona, California , Texas and Florida but the funny thing is Alabama kept "calling me home" and it was in Alabama in 1973 that I first heard the music of Gram Parson's. I know what it feels like to be "called home".

Comment by Kenneth L Sibbett on December 14, 2012 at 3:55am: For a young man, to have such an old soul is unusual. His last album, "My Ride's Here" is a testament to his true talent and courage. I don't know why my man Dave Letterman loved him so much, but so did I. Rest in Peace Gram~