Product Description Return to Sin City: A Tribute to Gram Parsons celebrates an artist who made his greater mark in the years following his death and has become a contemporary music icon. The late, great Gram Parsons refused to let anyone call his music "country rock." With the soul of a true cowboy, he just couldn't be fenced in. His vision was much more grandiose than the words "country rock" would allow. The cosmic American music of Gram Parsons celebrated diversity. Sure, the broken hearted sentiment of country music was firmly rooted in his musical upbringing. But so was the burning urgency of soul music's dramatic melodies as well as the sweet, uplifting, revelatory harmonies of gospel choirs and of course the hip shaking, hand clapping strut and boogie of rock and roll music. Thirty years after his untimely death in Joshua Tree, CA., musicians and music lovers still name check Gram Parsons with the utmost awe and respect. He saw beyond labels and boundaries in music and in life. In his time he influenced the music of his prot#g# Emmylou Harris, as well as his friends the Rolling Stones and the Byrds. He was the first longhair country boy-just ask any of the outlaws from Willie Nelson to Kris Kristofferson-someone who could bring country music to the closed minds of those who previously dismissed it as "hillbilly" or "hick" while turning on many a good ol' boy to the sounds of sweet soul music. Staying true to her father's vision of diversity in music, his daughter Polly organized Return to Sin City: A Tribute to Gram Parsons. She recruited both close friends and ardent fans of her father and his music as well as contemporary artists inspired by his work and vision. "He changed the face of country music without anybody ever knowing it. After he died, there was this whole different aspect of country music which pervades to this day." -Keith Richards, According to the Rolling Stones. .com Return to Sin City - A Tribute to Gram Parsons offers clear evidence that Parsons, who died at age 26 and whose output consisted primarily of just five recordings (one with the Byrds, two with the Flying Burrito Brothers, and two solo albums), commands a degree of respect and influence these days thats far greater than the modest success he enjoyed before his death in 1973. Recorded in Los Angeles, this 106-minute, 21-song concert features some big names (Keith Richards, Norah Jones) and slightly lesser lights (Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, John Doe) performing tunes Parsons wrote and/or recorded before his career was cut short by drug and alcohol problems (executive produced by Parsons daughter, Polly, the concert and DVD will help raise funds to battle substance abuse). And if the materials country-rock flavor (Parsons disdained that label, preferring to call it "cosmic American music") sounds a bit hackneyed nowadays, well, its not his fault; after all, Parsons was only around to help invent the genre, not run it into the ground. On this night, its left to the artists with unique voices and personae to lift the flavor of the proceedings from the merely pleasant to the truly inspiring, and thats precisely what Doe ("Hot Burrito No. 2"), Earle ("Luxury Liner"), Williams (a raw, somewhat ragged, and unabashedly vulnerable "Sleepless Nights"), Yoakam ("Sin City"), and Richards (who croaks his way through "Love Hurts," a duet with Jones, and "Hickory Wind") do. After that string of remarkable performances, closing the show by bringing everyone (including the great guitarist James Burton) onstage for "Wild Horses" and "Ooh Las Vegas" may be a tad anti-climactic, but Return to Sin City is still a fine way to remember a music legend. --Sam Graham
G**N
An Outstanding "Allstar" Tribute to the Late/Great Gram Parsons & His "Cosmic American Music" = An Outstanding Concert DVD !!!!
SIMPLY AWESOME!!! This is one of the greatest tribute concerts ever!!! I'm not concerned about the "stars" who were not in it. I'm just thankful for the "stars" who are in it. Gram's daughter - Polly Parsons did a fantastic job of putting this together. She even appears in the concert and gives some great commentary. Everyone in this tribute concert shows sincere respect for Gram, and they perform at their best. This concert is simply outstanding, and a "must-have" for any music lover period!!! I love the way they had Gram's picture in the background. This concert consists of 21 great Gram Parson's Classics. It has a running time of 106 minutes.The concert is as follows: (You get the Legendary Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Guitarist - James Burton, who played guitar on a lot of Gram's albums - he plays guitar on stage througout the concert):Six Days on the Road - Sin City AllstarsBig Mouth Blues - Jim LauderdaleDrug Store Truck Driving Man - Jay FarrarDevil in Disguise - Jay FarrarHot Burrito #1 - Raul Malo (I love this song!!!)Still Feeling Blue - Jim JamesHot Burrito #2 - John DoeWe'll Sweep out the Ashes in the Morning - John Doe & Kathleen DavisDo Right Woman, Do Right Man - Susan MarshallLuxury Liner - Steve EarleMy Uncle - Steve EarleSleepless Nights - Lucinda WilliamsA Song for You - Lucinda WilliamsWheels - Dwight Yoakam (I love this song also!)Sin City - Dwight YoakamShe - Norah JonesLove Hurts - Keith Richards & Norah JonesHickory Wind - Keith Richards (I love this song also, very much!!!)In my Hour of Darkness - Susan Marshall & the House of Blues Gospel ChoirWild Horses - All ArtistsOoh Las Vegas - All ArtistsThis is one of the greatest tribute concerts ever to one of the greatest Musical Artists ever - the late/great Gram Parsons. I highly recommend this one. Thanks!!!!
E**A
Sin City Forever
Even if you are not a fan of Gram Parsons, have a look and think again. This tribute to Gram & his music is made up of old friends, and young musicians who love music that tells a story and makes you wish you could play a guitar or sing a song, or both. Gram Parsons influenced a whole generation of blues, country & rock stars and is still doing so 30 years after his untimely death. The music is absolutely sensational and the feeling of being at Sin City with all these great players is just wonderful. From his old mate Keith Richards to the very young and sweet Norah Jones, they all sing with their hearts and pay tribute in their own way, with their own styles and voices and it comes together beautifully. A great DVD that you want to play over and over again. I think the man himself would be proud of what he began all those years ago and to see that his influence is still going strong in the world of music today.
R**Z
Found it!
had seen bits and pieces on YouTube. Finally found the DVD and can now watch it straight through (over and over again),
J**Y
Missing Pieces
Return to Sin City - A Tribute to Gram Parsons is a pretty good capturing of a couple of shows dedicated to the influential singer songwriter.Parsons is dead a long time yet his songs, his attitude, his vocals and his music continue to resonate with people and win fans.The performances here appear heartfelt, They look like real tributes and not just a play for publicity.Keith Richards' performance alone is worth the cost of the video.Richards, however, was about the only person on the bill who actually knew Parsons.The audience is left to wonder why Chris Hillman and Emmy Lou Harris didn't make the partty.Everyone knows musician schedules are tough to manage but a tribute to Parsons without those two is like throwing an anniversary party and not inviting one of the spouses.
R**T
Good, but disappointing
This is one I'd been looking forward to since reading reviews of the concert in July of 2004. The result is somewhat disappointing, though largely because of what is not included. Reviews at the time raved of Norah Jones' performances of "Streets Of Baltimore" and "Cry One More Time" with hot guitar work from James Burton, but these songs aren't here. The audio is at times of bootleg quality, particularly on the Jim Lauderdale take on "Big Mouth Blues". There are worthy performances from Jones, John Doe, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam, Steve Earle, Keith Richards and others. Unfortunately there are the obligitory muddled jams at the end of the program in which "Wild Horses" and "Ooh Las Vegas" are delivered in excrutiatingly sloppy fashion that even James Burton cannot save.The original concert may have been a worthy tribute to Gram Parsons, but this dvd presentation will likely disappoint.
S**P
Everlasting
It's easy to forget songwriters, even when you remember the songs. This is a lasting tribute to an influential and talented songwriter and performer. Many standouts, but Lucinda Williams and Keith Richards do it for me - an interesting reception for Keith, given that many still lay some blame for Gram's demise at his feet.
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