Emmylou Harris

Biography

Emmylou Harris, born April 2, 1947, in Birmingham, Alabama, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has profoundly shaped country rock, Americana, and folk music over five decades. She graduated as valedictorian from Gar-Field High School in 1965 and initially pursued drama on a scholarship at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she performed in theatrical productions and formed a folk duo called the Emerald City. However, she soon abandoned her acting ambitions to pursue music full-time, dropping out of college and moving to New York City's Greenwich Village in the late 1960s, where she immersed herself in the folk music scene, performing at clubs and recording her debut album, Gliding Bird, in 1970.

Her career transformation came in 1971 when former Byrds members Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons discovered her performing at a small nightclub in the Washington D.C. area. Parsons invited her to Los Angeles in 1972 to work on his solo album GP, and she toured with his band, The Grievous Angels, until his tragic death from a drug overdose in 1973. This mentorship proved pivotal, steering Harris toward country rock and establishing the foundation for her distinctive sound. Following Parsons' death, she released her breakthrough album Pieces of the Sky in 1975, featuring the haunting tribute song "Boulder to Birmingham," which showcased her ethereal, whispered vocal style. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, she achieved remarkable commercial success with albums like Elite Hotel (1976), Blue Kentucky Girl (1979), and four number-one country hits, while leading her acclaimed backing group, the Hot Band, which featured stellar musicians including Albert Lee, Rodney Crowell, and Hank DeVito.

Harris evolved from song interpreter to accomplished singer-songwriter in the 2000s, signing with Nonesuch Records and releasing Red Dirt Girl (2000), her first album of predominantly self-written material since The Ballad of Sally Rose. This creative shift earned critical acclaim and won her another Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. Throughout her career, Harris has been a bridge between traditional country and contemporary Americana, collaborating with diverse artists from Bruce Springsteen to Linda Ronstadt, contributing to the Grammy-winning O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, and recording experimental work like Wrecking Ball (1996) with producer Daniel Lanois. A 14-time Grammy winner and 2008 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Harris has maintained artistic relevance across generations, releasing Old Yellow Moon with Rodney Crowell in 2013, which won the Grammy for Best Americana Album.

Fun Facts

• She graduated as valedictorian from her high school in 1965 and initially attended college on a drama scholarship, intending to become an actress before choosing music
• She wrote 'Boulder to Birmingham' as a bittersweet tribute to Gram Parsons after his death, featuring the haunting lyric 'The hardest part is knowing I'll survive' sung in her signature whispered vocal style
• She has been married three times: first to songwriter Tom Slocum in 1969, then to producer Brian Ahern in 1977 (divorced 1984), and finally to English musician Paul Kennerley in 1985 (divorced 1993)
• She formed a folk duo called the Emerald City with Mike Williams while still in college, performing at local coffeehouses before dropping out to pursue music full-time

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Gram Parsons - Former Byrds member who discovered Harris performing in Washington D.C. and fundamentally shaped her country rock direction (GP album (1972), toured with The Grievous Angels band) [1971-1973]

Key Collaborators

• Brian Ahern - Producer and husband who helmed her first 10 albums and shaped her sound during her most commercially successful period (Pieces of the Sky (1975), Elite Hotel (1976), and subsequent albums through the early 1980s) [1975-1984]
• Rodney Crowell - Member of the Hot Band who became a long-term collaborator and co-artist (Hot Band member in 1970s, Old Yellow Moon duets album (2013)) [1970s, 2013]
• Albert Lee - Guitarist and member of the Hot Band (Hot Band performances and recordings) [1970s]
• Linda Ronstadt - Frequent duet partner and touring companion (Trio II (1999), Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions (1999), harmony vocals on Stumble into Grace (2003)) [1990s-2000s]
• Dolly Parton - Third member of the Trio collaboration with Ronstadt (Trio II (1999)) [1990s]
• Daniel Lanois - Producer known for work with U2 and Bob Dylan who helped create her most experimental album (Wrecking Ball (1996)) [1996]
• Bruce Springsteen - Provided backing vocals on her singer-songwriter focused album (Red Dirt Girl (2000)) [2000]
• Elvis Costello - Frequent touring partner during the 2000s (Joint tours) [2000s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die - Live
2. On The Road Again - Live
3. Wildflowers - 2015 Remaster (Trio (2016 Remaster))
4. Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby (O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack))
5. Same Old Train
6. To Know Him Is to Love Him - 2015 Remaster (Trio (2016 Remaster))
7. Boulder to Birmingham - 2003 Remaster (Pieces of the Sky (Expanded & Remastered))
8. If This Is Goodbye (All The Roadrunning)
9. where will i be (ten days)
10. This Is Us (All The Roadrunning)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #americana, #country, #country-rock