Spotify Sunday: Fill Your Ears

To conclude our ‘True Grit Week’, we’ve asked our favourite Country and Western aficionado, our colleague Alex Massie, to compose a special C&W playlist.

Hickory Wind – The Byrds
The Byrds were never better than during the spell Gram Parsons was present. Sweetheart of the Rodeo is a near-faultless album and ‘Hickory Wind’ perhaps its standout track.

Boulder to Birmingham – Emmylou Harris
You could cheerfully pick any number of Emmylou songs but her tribute to Parsons is as good a place to start as any and, frankly, better than most. Sublime.

Tecumseh Valley – Townes van Zandt
No collection is complete without a nod to the prince of Texas singer-songwriters. ‘Tecumseh Valley’ tells the story of a young girl seeking work in tough times; she turns from keeping bar to whoring and, as is the country way, comes to a bad end.

Ft Worth Blues – Steve Earle
And, in turn, here’s Steve Earle’s beautiful tribute to his friend, mentor and inspiration – Townes van Zandt.