COLIN SIMPSON
Joshua Tree National Park, California
4/5
FIFTY years ago the Flying Burrito Brothers, a country rock band whose line-up included singer and guitarist Gram Parsons, released their seminal album The Gilded Palace of Sin.
Parsons, who had previously sung with the Byrds and later embarked on a solo career, is seldom played or mentioned in today’s mainstream music world. Devoted fans, however, continue to honour him as a music pioneer.
That solo career came to an abrupt end on Sept. 19, 1973, when Parsons died in Room 8 of the Joshua Tree Inn from a drug overdose at the age of 26. Ever since, country-music fans have regarded the inn near California’s Joshua Tree National Park as a place of pilgrimage. Many stay in Room 8 – it was occupied when I looked round the inn. Entries in a guestbook tell of visitors sensing Parsons’ spirit in the room.
Outside the blue-painted door stands a guitar-shaped memorial to Parsons and two benches where admirers can sit and contemplate his influence on luminaries such as his protégé Emmylou Harris, the Eagles and numerous alt-country bands. Or perhaps they prefer to think of him partying with the Rolling Stones or hanging out at his friend Keith Richards’ villa, Nellcôte, in the South of France during the Exile on Main St. sessions.
The motel, described by journalist Robert Fulton in LA Weekly as “ground zero for Parsons tourism”, is a modest affair. There’s a pool with a view towards the park, and inside the main building the walls are bedecked with photos and posters of Parsons. When I was there the inn was preparing to host a Parsons memorial tribute show, and the walls were covered with photos of the star and posters for earlier concerts.
Parsons had fallen in love with the park some years before, and visited it a number of times. There was a bizarre footnote to his death. He had apparently expressed a wish to be cremated in the park when he died, but family members wanted to have him buried in Louisiana.
Two friends stole his body at Los Angeles airport, took it to the park in an ancient hearse and, after dousing the remains with petrol, set them on fire. The bizarre story was told in the 2003 movie Grand Theft Parsons. The cremation happened in the area around a landmark known as Cap Rock, which also attracts Parsons fans.
It’s easy to see why the singer enjoyed escaping to the vastness of the park – it measures more than 1,200 square miles. The combination of Joshua trees with their thick branches and distinctive balls of spiky leaves, stunning desert landscapes and weird rock formations makes it a memorable place to visit.
There are trails you can follow, examples of native American cave art, and campsites for true outdoor types. The nearby town of Joshua Tree has a number of places to stay and eat, including a good Indian restaurant, a visitor centre and several bars – just what you want after a day hiking through the hot desert.
Verdict: Fabulous and unique national park, with the Gram Parsons connection an added bonus for country-music fans.
Top photo: Cap Rock, where Parsons was cremated.
May 2019
MORE INFO
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S Joshua Tree Park site will help you plan a visit, and there’s an explanation of what’s so special about the trees. READ MORE
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LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH!
COLIN SIMPSON
Joshua Tree National Park, California
4/5
FIFTY years ago the Flying Burrito Brothers, a country rock band whose line-up included singer and guitarist Gram Parsons, released their seminal album The Gilded Palace of Sin.
Parsons, who had previously sung with the Byrds and later embarked on a solo career, is seldom played or mentioned in today’s mainstream music world. Devoted fans, however, continue to honour him as a music pioneer.
That solo career came to an abrupt end on Sept. 19, 1973, when Parsons died in Room 8 of the Joshua Tree Inn from a drug overdose at the age of 26. Ever since, country-music fans have regarded the inn near California’s Joshua Tree National Park as a place of pilgrimage. Many stay in Room 8 – it was occupied when I looked round the inn. Entries in a guestbook tell of visitors sensing Parsons’ spirit in the room.
Outside the blue-painted door stands a guitar-shaped memorial to Parsons and two benches where admirers can sit and contemplate his influence on luminaries such as his protégé Emmylou Harris, the Eagles and numerous alt-country bands. Or perhaps they prefer to think of him partying with the Rolling Stones or hanging out at his friend Keith Richards’ villa, Nellcôte, in the South of France during the Exile on Main St. sessions.
The motel, described by journalist Robert Fulton in LA Weekly as “ground zero for Parsons tourism”, is a modest affair. There’s a pool with a view towards the park, and inside the main building the walls are bedecked with photos and posters of Parsons. When I was there the inn was preparing to host a Parsons memorial tribute show, and the walls were covered with photos of the star and posters for earlier concerts.
Parsons had fallen in love with the park some years before, and visited it a number of times. There was a bizarre footnote to his death. He had apparently expressed a wish to be cremated in the park when he died, but family members wanted to have him buried in Louisiana.
Two friends stole his body at Los Angeles airport, took it to the park in an ancient hearse and, after dousing the remains with petrol, set them on fire. The bizarre story was told in the 2003 movie Grand Theft Parsons. The cremation happened in the area around a landmark known as Cap Rock, which also attracts Parsons fans.
It’s easy to see why the singer enjoyed escaping to the vastness of the park – it measures more than 1,200 square miles. The combination of Joshua trees with their thick branches and distinctive balls of spiky leaves, stunning desert landscapes and weird rock formations makes it a memorable place to visit.
There are trails you can follow, examples of native American cave art, and campsites for true outdoor types. The nearby town of Joshua Tree has a number of places to stay and eat, including a good Indian restaurant, a visitor centre and several bars – just what you want after a day hiking through the hot desert.
Verdict: Fabulous and unique national park, with the Gram Parsons connection an added bonus for country-music fans.
Top photo: Cap Rock, where Parsons was cremated.
May 2019
MORE INFO
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S Joshua Tree Park site will help you plan a visit, and there’s an explanation of what’s so special about the trees. READ MORE
RELATED
DEATH VALLEY: The sand dunes of Tatooine, the wilderness where Jesus spent 40 days and nights, and the Northwest Frontier of India have one thing in common. They’ve all been represented in famous films by the scorched landscapes of Death Valley… READ MORE
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SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
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LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH!
JOSHUA TREE PARK
and the Strange Story of
GRAM PARSONS
COLIN SIMPSON
Joshua Tree National Park, California, US
4/5
FIFTY years ago the Flying Burrito Brothers, a country rock band whose line-up included singer and guitarist Gram Parsons, released their seminal album The Gilded Palace of Sin.
Parsons, who had previously sung with the Byrds and later embarked on a solo career, is seldom played or mentioned in today’s mainstream music world. Devoted fans, however, continue to honour him as a music pioneer.
That solo career came to an abrupt end on Sept. 19, 1973, when Parsons died in Room 8 of the Joshua Tree Inn from a drug overdose at the age of 26. Ever since, country-music fans have regarded the inn near California’s Joshua Tree National Park as a place of pilgrimage. Many stay in Room 8 – it was occupied when I looked round the inn. Entries in a guestbook tell of visitors sensing Parsons’ spirit in the room.
Outside the blue-painted door stands a guitar-shaped memorial to Parsons and two benches where admirers can sit and contemplate his influence on luminaries such as his protégé Emmylou Harris, the Eagles and numerous alt-country bands. Or perhaps they prefer to think of him partying with the Rolling Stones or hanging out at his friend Keith Richards’ villa, Nellcôte, in the South of France during the Exile on Main St. sessions.
Parsons had fallen in love with the park some years before, and visited it a number of times. There was a bizarre footnote to his death. He had apparently expressed a wish to be cremated in the park when he died, but family members wanted to have him buried in Louisiana.
Two friends stole his body at Los Angeles airport, took it to the park in an ancient hearse and, after dousing the remains with petrol, set them on fire. The bizarre story was told in the 2003 movie Grand Theft Parsons. The cremation happened in the area around a landmark known as Cap Rock, which also attracts Parsons fans.
It’s easy to see why the singer enjoyed escaping to the vastness of the park – it measures more than 1,200 square miles. The combination of Joshua trees with their thick branches and distinctive balls of spiky leaves, stunning desert landscapes and weird rock formations makes it a memorable place to visit.
There are trails you can follow, examples of native American cave art, and campsites for true outdoor types. The nearby town of Joshua Tree has a number of places to stay and eat, including a good Indian restaurant, a visitor centre and several bars – just what you want after a day hiking through the hot desert.
Verdict: Fabulous and unique national park, with the Gram Parsons connection an added bonus for country-music fans.
Top photo: Cap Rock, where Parsons was cremated.
May 2019
MORE INFO
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE’S Joshua Tree Park site will help you plan a visit, and there’s an explanation of what’s so special about the trees. READ MORE
RELATED
DEATH VALLEY: The sand dunes of Tatooine, the wilderness where Jesus spent 40 days and nights, and the Northwest Frontier of India have one thing in common. They’ve all been represented in famous films by the scorched landscapes of Death Valley… READ MORE
AMERICA’S GHOST HIGHWAY: Pulling in at Roy’s Motel and Café, a legendary fuel stop on Route 66 in California, I was astonished to see the forecourt packed with dozens of shiny Dodge Challenger muscle cars. There’d been almost no traffic… READ MORE
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WELCOME TO OUR WORLD! Afaranwide’s home page – this is where you can find out about our latest posts and other highlights. READ MORE
TOP 10 VIRTUAL ATTRACTIONS: Many of the world’s most popular tourists sites are closed because of the coronavirus crisis, but you can still visit them virtually while you’re self-isolating. READ MORE
SHIMLA, QUEEN OF THE HILLS: Government officials once retreated to Shimla in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape India’s blazing hot summers. Now tourists make the same journey. READ MORE
TEN THINGS WE LEARNED: Our up-to-the-minute guide to creating a website, one step at a time. The costs, the mistakes – it’s what we wish we’d known when we started blogging. READ MORE
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Disclosure: Afaranwide is an affiliate of leading travel operators such as Booking.com and Japan Rail Pass. If you purchase through our site we receive, at no additional cost to you, a small commission. We only work with companies we have used and recommend.