1:04 PM
Wesman Todd Shaw
Emmylou Harris
Born in 1947 in the outskirts of Washington D.C., its perhaps surprising that Emmylou Harris became the queen of progressive country and folk music. She'd moved to Greenwich Village in 1969 to become a folk singer - but seemingly failed, and moved back home to wait tables, be a single mother, and perform in small coffee shop venues.
In 1971 that all changed forever when she met Gram Parsons, formerly of The International Submarine Band, The Byrds, andThe Flying Burrito Brothers. Gram Parsons had attended Harvard, was born a millionaire, and had a vision of what he called Cosmic American Music, and he made Emmylou Harris a big part of that as his singing partner.
Emmylou and Gram recorded the albums GP and Grievous Angel together and then Gram Parsons promptly died of a drug overdose. Following that, the bizarre case concerning his body, which was stolen by friends and burned in Joshua Tree National Park - Harris was left a budding star in her own right, and the remnants of Gram Parsons's band, and his vision of Cosmic American Music.
Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons
Written Following The Death Of Clarence White - In My Hour Of Darkness - Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons.
The Gibson Everly Brothers Guitar
- The Gibson Everly Brothers Guitar
Phil and Don Everly, The Everly Brothers - had both originally played Gibson J 200 guitars. Over the years and with their personal feedback - Gibson has issued Everly Brothers model instruments either under that very name, or named the Gibson J 185.
Emmylou Harris - Acoustic Guitar Girl.
I'll just have to come out and say it - I think of Emmylou Harris as one of the world's most beautiful women. There's no two ways about it. She may be past the age when most people consider a woman truly beautiful - but not me, buddy, not me! She may be quite a lot older than me - but that white hair is absolutely a crown of wisdom on her, and she's as beautiful now as she ever was.
I'm very opinionated, and especially when it comes to music - but I'm talking feminine beauty right this moment, and Emmylou was already beautiful, and already had the singing voice of an angel - but then she picks up an acoustic guitar and plays the thing whilst being beautiful and singing beautifully, and the the three tiered assault of beauty is then pretty much overwhelming.
Emmylou Harris was featured on the front cover of the August 2001 copy ofAcoustic Guitar Magazine, and there's little doubt in my mind that she's been on their cover, and other similar publication's covers several times since then. She is well known as a rhythm guitarist, and primarily plays Gibson acoustic guitars. Emmylou Harris owns a number of Gibson guitars, most of them J 200s, which she considers the best acoustic rhythm guitar that there is, she also owns a similar Everly Brothers model by Gibson. Most often Emmylou Harris has been seen playing a blond Gibson J 200, which she inherited from Gram Parsons following his death - she's retired that instrument from being taken with her on the road, and had as exact a duplicate as possible built for her by Gibson.
While Ms. Emmylou Harris has most always been known for playing Gibson guitars, she also owns several Martin instruments as well, including an M - 38, an OM - 42, a prized 1937 00 - 28; and a Martin J - 40M.
Emmylou Harris With Her Gibson Everly Brothers Guitar Singing "Pancho And Lefty," by Townes Van Zandt.
Emmylou Harris - Singer and Songwriter.
Throughout most of the career of the beautiful Emmylou Harris, she's mostly been known as a singer who interprets the work of other songwriters in the manner and form that had been laid out for her by her late partner, Gram Parsons. Emmylou had mostly not written her own songs, why should she? There was always plenty of music out there that she could bring to life with her beautiful singing voice, and restrained phrasing style.
But she decided to write songs of her own again, as she had once before, and she did so so well that she won a Grammy for Red Dirt Girl in the Best Contemporary Folk music category in 2000.
Emmylou Harris
The Emmylou Harris Gibson Interview.
- Emmylou Harris: The Gibson Interview
Official Gibson site: Grammy award winner, contemporary country music legend Emmylou Harris says Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Son House, Pete Seeger, the Carter Family, Bill Monroe and Leonard Cohen are among her early musical influences.
The Emmylou Harris Guitar By Gibson
With the feedback from Ms. Emmylou Harris, the Gibson Guitar company created this instrument, the L 200 to be smaller, thinner, and more manageable for her - It's basically a smaller version of the slightly larger J 200, but with some custom appointments that let you know that this instrument is distinguished in ways other than it's slightly smaller size - it's similar in size to the Everly Brothers instrument which is also sometimes called the J 185 - depending upon which year it is, literally.
This is a fine guitar that would make an outstanding instrument for a flatpicker, fingerpicker, or of course, a singer songwriter who plays rhythm. It's of solid maple back and sides, and with a solid Sitka spruce top, features custom mother of pearl inlay on the rosewood fret board, and on the bridge. Gibson's Gotoh tuning machines are a point of pride for efficiency and sustained accuracy. I've priced this outstanding instrument at around $ 3,300, and of course that comes with a limited lifetime warranty, and a hard shell case.
This guitar comes pre equipped with Gibson's LR Baggs pickup and electronics for acoustic/electric play.
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