Today's mail brought Rhino's most recent stellar collection, "Gram Parsons: The Complete Reprise Sessions." I'm listening to it the second time straight through and it's sensational.

"Gram Parsons?" you may be thinking. "Whoozat?" His name is not as well known as many from the same era, which was the early 70s. But his musical influence was seismic. He is generally acknowledged as the founder of the style of music known as country rock. His sweet tenor is a pleasure to listen to in any season.

Brief bio: he was an Alabama boy who went to Harvard, started a couple of bands, then landed in The Byrds. He was the creative vision behind their "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" album. He then went solo and released two albums under his own name, "GP" and "Grievous Angel", his thin recorded legacy. "Grievous Angel" was released posthumously after his overdose death at the age of -- what else? -- 27.

The lady you will hear singing with him on many of the songs is Emmylou Harris, who was then unknown. The way they sing together is a thing of beauty. You want to run out the front door and fall in love with somebody. They were lovers as well as collaborators. Supposedly the original cover photo of "Grievous Angel" was Gram and Emmylou on a motorcycle, which his widow kiboshed.

Listen not only for the vocal harmonies but also the guitar licks of James Burton, one of the greats. He played guitar for Elvis, Roy Orbison, and Gram Parsons -- not a bad resume. Check out his playing on "Return of the Grievous Angel".

Out with the truckers and the kickers and the cowboy angels
And a good saloon in every single town
Oh, and I remember something you once told me
And I'll be damned if it did not come true
Twenty thousand roads I went down, down, down
And they all led me straight back home to you