Cowboy Angels

Although Emmylou Harris' debut solo album, Gliding Bird, had been released in 1970, prior to 1975 she was probably best-known for her work with Gram Parsons, having been recommended to him by his fellow Byrd Chris Hillman, Gram invited Emmylou to duet with him and sing harmony on his debut GP, released in 1973. She subsequently toured as a part of his band, The Fallen Angels, and is featured extensively on Grievous Angel, also recorded in 1973. Parsons died in September of that year with Grievous Angel released posthumously a year later. Emmylou was distraught by his death but had learned much from her brief sojourn with the personable and influential Gram and continued to champion his ground-breaking work throughout her own career.

The 1975 broadcast featured here was aired from San Francisco's famous Boarding House venue and occurred just a year after Parsons' death - thus it is hardly surprising that many of the songs included have strong connections with the Parsons-period. Backed by The Hot Band, featuring James Burton and Glen D. Hardin, both of whom had played in Elvis' group, and Rodney Crowell, the young Texan songwriter and guitarist whose compositions Emmylou was now championing, it was a testament to the girl's talents that she could attract musicians of this calibre at this formative stage in her own solo career. This performance offers a tantalising glimpse of such qualities as Emmylou displays the full magnificence of her voice in this truly wonderful show.