This is a wonderful 2xCD compilation - it looks great, sounds great and comes as close as humanly possible to being a perfect sampling of Gram's very consistent work. For those reasons alone, you should probably get it, particularly if you're neither a completist nor already familiar with any of Gram's material. On the other hand, you may choose to go the longer route - even so, there are plenty of reasons to get this 2xCD as well, mentioned below. For those who might want more, here's how to go about it:

1) The International Submarine Band's "Safe At Home" reissue on Sundazed contains tracks 1-6 on CD 1, as well as 4 more tracks, in excellent sound and packaging.

2) The Byrds' "Sweetheart Of The Rodeo" CD on Legacy features lots of Gram vocals and involvement, including tracks 7 & 8 on CD 1, but you miss the Gram vocal take on "The Christian Life" that's on this 2xCD. The versions of "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "One Hundred Years From Now" are different, too. Although these (tracks 9-11 on CD 1 here) were on the Byrds' boxed set, they were just about the only worthwhile things on it that weren't on any of the Byrds' single CD reissues as bonus tracks - so this double CD gets you those 3 tracks quite easily.

3) The Flying Burrito Brothers "Hot Burritos!" 2xCD on A&M contains tracks 12-24 of CD 1 here, plus the first track of CD 2 . . . AND 29 more tracks, some of them excellent (though this 2xCD does a good job of capturing the best.)

4) The Reprise single CD reissue of Gram's two solo albums "GP" and "Grievous Angel" contains tracks 2-9 on CD 2, as well as tracks 13-22 on CD 2. It also has five tracks not included here. And the song "Return Of The Grievous Angel" is in a different mix here.

5) Gram Parsons & the Fallen Angels "Live 1973" CD on Rhino features tracks 10-12 on CD 2, plus nine tracks not here, in excellent sound.

6) This CD also features three outtakes from Gram's solo albums (tracks 20-22 on CD 2). These were previously available only on the import-only "Sleepless Nights," a compilation of these three tunes plus some late-period Flying Burrito Brothers country covers - the best of which are also on "Hot Burritos!" So this Rhino set is an easy way to get these three tracks without any dross.

That's it, with the exception of the recently unearthed "Another Side Of This Life: The Lost Recordings Of Gram Parsons 1965-1966," a surprisingly fine Sundazed release of previously undiscovered demos. Gram's talent is in full flower (he even performs a version of his own "Brass Buttons" roughly 8 years before its appearance on "Grievous Angel.") Most of the 18 tracks are covers of great songs by Fred Neil, Tim Hardin and other soulful folky types. It's much better than you'd think.

Enjoy!

Read below and you will see why British people know nothing about country music. Stick to the Beatles, okay jerky boy?

I wish I could explain what Gram Parsons did for me musically. He could very well be the reason why there is any good country music left at all. This anthology includes some of The Burrito Brothers stuff, Byrds, and plenty of old Fallen Angels tracks. This is one of those all-inclusive anthologies...I don't find myself wondering, "Why didn't they put such and such song on here?"

It is worth the money for this one if you're a fan of real country music.

I ride a Harley.
Can't explain to most people what that's like but, then with music and this guy in particular, it's kinda the same.
I placed the cd into the machine, buying after seeing a tv programme here in the UK about the so called 'alternative country scene'...
Now I understand...
The CD is sad and the singers story is very dis-heartening-- Maybe I am getting older- maybe I don't want to hear pop music.
...Buy it because as a 'white' guy singing about 'black' times, this music is better from an underground than an overground!

I thought I'd write a brief review of this anthology to assist those coming to Gram Parson's work from a rock background (as I did). Like many others, the mere mention of 'country music' makes me want to bring up my breakfast but I was intrigued by the praise heaped upon this man and his work. So I picked this anthology up, a brilliant one-stop summation of Gram Parson's career and listened with an open mind. The first thing that I would say for those who are curious is that it is worth your time, though I must stress that this IS very much country music. There are those typical country chord progressions and that cringe-inducing instrumentation that you associate with country music, but underneath that these are simply great songs, no matter what the genre. Songs as beautiful as "Love Hurts" simply transcend any classification. So, while I won't necessarily listen to this all the time, this collection certainly has a lot to recommend it. 5 stars if you already like country music, 4 if you don't.

The reviewer who wrote the piece, "Gram no Pioneer
of Country Rock" is obviously brain dead! Gram never
liked the term "Country Rock" but rather called
his music " Cosmic American Music." Yes Clarence
White was also a pioneer of what ever you want to
call this music. I highly recomend this CD!
I gave it a 4 star rating instead of a 5 only
because I suggest buying all this stuff with
more on the original CD's. The previous reviewer
makes no sense calling Sweetheart of the Rodeo
pure country and bashing Gram. So what if it is
pure country! It's good. The previous reviewer
seems confused and more concerned about who fits
which or what label than how the music sounds!