JOSHUA & ME: The Muse of Gram Parsons

Was it outlaw inspiration or self-reflection? When the thought of Gram Parsons comes to mind, many think of the not-so-ceremonial cremation of Gram's stolen body in Joshua Tree. Gram and Joshua both stood tall with arms long and reaching, and they met one another through a desert friend, Death Valley, or so the story goes.

Some claim their first encounter was with actor Ted Markland, whom Gram worked on the set of Saturation 70 with, a sci-fi film that never made it into theaters. The movie was filmed during an alien convention in 1970, not quite fitting the timeline. Another claim to the cosmic coupling is A&M’s art director Tom Wilkes's early morning caravan to the National Monument in the very late months of 1968.

A higher possibility, but not the earliest claim is from 1967, of Gram’s lover and the woman behind Hot Burrito #1 and #2, along with $1,000 Wedding, who is to be held as the one responsible for the introduction, first taking Gram to Death Valley, a neighboring desert, but maybe choosing Joshua Tree as a more convenient getaway with a closer destination to civilization.

The simple southern boy persona was a vice Gram used to escape the complexity of himself. As Chris Hillman is quoted saying, "Gram never had to struggle; he didn’t have the hunger like other musicians.” Gram was an heir to the Snively family fortune; after his mother passed, Gram was given a trust fund. Hillman blames Gram’s trust fund for his downfall. Leading some to feel Gram’s attachment to Joshua Tree was a pure lower-class fantasy, with Joshua Tree and surrounding towns being homesteads and dive bars, unlike back South, where gram had no status, his pinky ring a fashion statement rather than a sign of higher status.

The Joshua Tree itself, a yucca plant, got its name from Mormon settlers in the 19th century as they passed the Mojave. The abundance of yucca to the settlers resembled Joshua, a biblical figure reaching his hands to pray. The Mormons felt the Joshua Trees were an omen on their migration west. Religion was something Gram had philosophy on not only through sin and salvation in his later years, but through his whole existence, raising Christianity as a common part of Southern culture.

Gram’s religion went farther than belief during his short term at Harvard University, majoring in theology. An essay on religion left an impression on the staff later in life. Gram told interviewers he could become a preacher if he wanted to. Joshua Trees and their name-sake were no strangers to Gram.

Known for its dark sky, many come to stargaze and view planets when possible; the isolation from any city lights allows the constellation to be viewed along with alien conventions sharing paranormal stories of the desert. Gram’s fondness for extraterrestrial existence led to a $50,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle and a custom-painted gas tank with an astronaut and space modules.

Gram often drifted so far into his own little universe that the planes flying far above his head ceased to be planes at all. Their distant lights blinked through the clouds, and for a while, he was certain the sky had opened its doors, watching “ufos” from the top of the sprawling hills of Laurel Canyon. Gram can be seen holding telescopes when photographed during a trip to Joshua Tree with Keith Richards and Anita Pallenberg. It's easy to believe the dark sky view would leave Gram in a marvel, just like when he was a little boy laying in the grass at night.

Keys View is a known favorite by Gram; the outlook gives an aerial view of the Coachella Valley. Wind turbines and farmland nuzzle palm springs as the San Jacinto mountains cascade in the background. Gram stood with arms wide, as the breeze cooled his warm, tanned skin and weaved through his hair. Gram told those who trusted him to guide them to Joshua Tree. He wished he were a bird. using his telescope to study the ridges of the San Andreas fault line. Gram intimately hoped he’d reincarnate as a bird flying high above the California desert. The high altitude of Key Views gave Gram a taste of his next life.

Wealth did not subject him to missing out on the mischief of a young boy. Gram spent his youth playing in the Okefenokee swamps. He said in an interview, "Okefenokee is the Native American word for trembling earth”.

Before Gram's father’s passing, Gram had spent time in Cubs Scouts with his father as the leader. It’s no surprise Gram spent nights in Joshua Tree, with blankets and fire for the brutal chill that sweeps over the plain. Gram put his Cub Scout knowledge to use during these trips with the occasional break to the Red Baron placed next to the Giant Rock Airport, where Gram would watch the sunset as planes came and went. Other times, Gram spent nights in the Joshua Tree Inn, trading prehistoric earth for a bed.

Young Gram on a hunting trip with his father

The death of Gram Parsons resonates with his love for a place that made his complexities a living terrain. The dirt ground and cracked roads shouldn’t be overlooked as his demise but rather as an encompassment of the young boy seeking bliss and a deeper understanding. Joshua Tree gave Gram the freedom of contentment and chaos.

An excerpt from Polly parsons