Gram Parson's Eyes

EYES:
As promised, my first installment analyzes Gram Parson's eyes. First questions first. What color are they? Seriously. Does anyone know? There are not very many close-up color pictures out there, (and often his eyes are obscured by his hair!) so I’ve found that getting an answer to this question is far more difficult than I had anticipated. Black and white pictures, such as the one to the left, gave the impression that they were a pale blue. But I have been carefully reviewing every color picture, as well as video, I can find, and I think I’ve come to the ambiguous conclusion that they are a green/gray/bluish hazel. This conclusion is supported by a quote I found from Stanley Booth, where he described Gram as a “green-eyed Palomino pony.”

Color aside. I’ve never seen eyes quite like Gram’s. His strong and downward-sloping brow creates a sorrowful, ‘lost puppy’ look, which is then offset by an intensity created by his eyes’ proximity and his prominent nose bridge. The result is captivating—a mix of childlike innocence and a sexually-charged knowing stare which simultaneously obscures and reveals the pain just below the surface. But there is an interface between the physical and the emotional. Looking at him, the first thing you notice is mellowness, happy-go-lucky flirtatiousness, perhaps intentional—a result of his experience as an entertainer, perhaps just a natural part of his amorous and easy-going personality, or perhaps a mask. In any case, the way he uses his eyes seems deliberate. He looks at you as if he knows he’s getting to you, exciting you, penetrating your soul, ‘feeling you deep inside.’

Welcome

Hello, and welcome to the blog which is unapologetically devoted to the physical beauty that is (okay, that was) Gram Parsons. The fact that I’ve chosen to focus on his appearance is in no way meant to detract from the importance and influence of his music, which as most GP fans know, continues to delight and mesmerize fans and musicians of all genres almost forty years after his tragic death in 1973. But, there are already many sites and blogs (and festivals even!) devoted so his music, so . . . with this blog I’m focusing on something else: Gram’s chameleon beauty, his impeccable and flamboyant sense of style, his unique features, with the ultimate goal understanding what it is about him that makes me sigh and linger far too long each time I see an image of him. Sad thing is, undoubtedly, pictures don’t do him justice; having never had the opportunity to meet the man, I can only surmise that his beauty, coupled with his southern grace and charm, was far greater in person than what can ever be captured in a two-dimensional digital rendering.

But anyway, each week I will choose one aspect of Gram to highlight, ranging from his facial features, to his various body parts, to his hats and shoes, his smile, etc. I’m hoping that readers will eventually find this blog, and contribute pictures, comments, and lively discussion and debate! Pictures displayed here have been found through online searches, and I hope I haven’t posted anything copyrighted. If anything is objectionable, please let me know. The first installment, an analysis of what I feel is Gram Parsons’s most intriguing and beautiful feature . . . his EYES . . . is COMING SOON!

[Note: Yes . . . I know that unfortunately toward the end of his life his looks and glamour were somewhat diminished, and there are some pictures where he just looks . . . bad. But, I guess it’s an unfortunate reminder of what self-abuse can do to a person. However disheartening, that side of him is real, and will not be ignored here.]