Sleepless Nights

by The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons

Overview

Three years after Gram Parsons' untimely death, his frequent duet partner Emmylou Harris helped arrange for the release of this collection of outtakes -- three songs he cut with Harris for his final solo album Grievous Angel in 1973, and nine others recorded live in the studio with The Flying Burrito Brothers in 1970. Anyone hoping to find the great lost Gram Parsons song is out of luck here; all 12 tunes are covers of vintage country classics, except for "Honky Tonk Women" (which at least sounds like a C&W classic in this arrangement) and The Louvin Brothers' "The Angels Rejoiced Last Night," which is as spiritually uplifting as ever with Harris' pure, clear voice helping to bring it home. The three tracks with his duet partner fare best, while most of the cuts with the Burritos sound like demos, and though a few are inspired (particularly the deeply felt versions of "Sing Me Back Home" and "Green, Green Grass of Home," a lot of the time both Parsons and the band sound like a solid bar band in the middle of a Wednesday night set -- more than competent, but less than inspired. Sleepless Nights was certainly a labor of love and it's a worthy purchase for committed fans, but neophytes are better off giving a listen to The Flying Burrito Brothers' masterpiece The Gilded Palace of Sin, or either solo album, G.P. or Grievous Angel. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	12/08/2023
Label:	Elemental
UPC:	0600753981863
Rank:	35205

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Gram Parsons   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Mandolin
The Flying Burrito Brothers   Primary Artist
Emmylou Harris   Primary Artist,Vocals
Sneaky Pete Kleinow   Pedal Steel
Bernie Leadon   Guitar,Vocals
Chris Hillman   Bass,Guitar,Vocals
James Burton   Guitar
Emory Gordy Jr.   Bass
Ron Tutt   Drums
Michael Clarke   Drums
Glen D. Hardin   Piano,Keyboards
Herb Pedersen   Guitar,Vocals
Rick Grech   Bass
Al Perkins   Drums,Guitar (Steel)
Byron Berline   Violin

Technical Credits

Boudleaux Bryant   Composer
Bud Scoppa   Liner Notes,Coordination
Ira Louvin   Composer
Jack Ripley   Composer
Chuck Seals   Composer
Joe Maphis   Composer
Emmylou Harris   Liner Notes
Max Fidler   Composer
Ralph Mooney   Composer
Jim Dickson   Producer,Audio Production
Merle Haggard   Composer
Red Simpson   Composer
Keith Richards   Composer
Curly Putman   Composer
Felice Bryant   Composer
Charlie Louvin   Composer
Mick Jagger   Composer
Charles P. Seals   Composer
Gram Parsons   Producer,Audio Production
Buck Owens   Composer
M. Adler   Composer
Jim McCrary   Photography
Frank DeLuna   Mastering
Roland Young   Art Direction
Chuck Beeson   Design
Joe Heiner   Cover Illustration
Charles Seals   Composer
Mildred Adair   Composer