The Byrds are the quintessential folk rock band. They dominated the mid-60s with a slew of jangly pop hits, to the extent that they were considered to be America's answer to the Beatles. They made a hard pivot with their 1968 album Sweetheart of the Rodeo, which pioneered the country rock genre, but the album's tepid performance in the moment coincided with the departure of Gram Parsons.
Parsons joined the Byrds in 1968, following the departure of co-founder David Crosby. He was brought in at the behest of the band's bassist, Chris Hillman, who felt the band needed to head in a new sonic direction or risk being seen as obsolete. The rest of the Byrds bought in, and Parsons was a driving force on the aforementioned Sweetheart of the Rodeo album.
Gram Parsons quit the Byrds in 1968
Parsons was slated to sing lead on several of the album's songs, but the singer was still contracted to LHI Records as a solo artist when he joined the Byrds, and the label threatened legal action due to his pronounced involvement. Roger McGuinn, the frontman of the band, removed Parsons' vocals from three songs as a result, and re-recorded them himself. This did not sit well with the new member.
Parsons later told Rolling Stone that McGuinn "erased it and did the vocals himself and f**ked it up." The tension between Parsons and the rest of the band worsened when they toured the album and planned to travel to South Africa. The singer was opposed to apartheid and decided to quit before said dates occurred.
Parson's friction with McGuinn coincided with a burgeoning Rolling Stones friendship. Not the magazine this time, the band. While touring with the Byrds in the UK, Parsons fell in with Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, and the two men bonded over their shared love for country and western music. Parsons even stayed at the guitarist's house for an extended period.
Parsons died at age 26 in 1973
Parsons eventually made his way back to the US, and when he did, he managed to convince Chris Hillman to quit the Byrds and launch the country band the Flying Burrito Brothers. The Byrds went on with McGuinn fronting a new lineup until 1971 (they reformed most of their original lineup for a final album, in 1973).
Parsons, meanwhile, continued to record music until his tragic death in 1973. The musician was reported to have overdosed on alcohol and morphine during a trip to Joshua Tree. He was 26 years old.