New Riders of the Purple Sage

Gram Parsons was a cosmic American. New Riders of the Purple Sage are psychedelic cowboys. There’s a difference. In the early ’70s, Parsons was a country-rock pioneer, baking his dreamy croon in the glorious L.A. sun while pumping his fragile Dixie sounds full of Southern California’s favorite drugs: booze, smack, pills, and coke. Meanwhile, 400 miles up the coast, in trippy San Francisco, the New Riders were jamming with the biggest acidheads of them all, the Grateful Dead. NRPS married desert honky-tonk, creamy folk rock, and mutant vibrations from distant Crab Nebulas. Over the years, they’ve released a slew of LPs while going through a seemingly infinite number of lineups. But founding father David Nelson, as well as Garcia’s kick-ass successor, Buddy Cage, has kept the Panama Red burning during the group’s recent resurgence as a live act.

Related Content

• From Steve Miller to Bob Dylan: Rock's 10 Most Essential Greatest Hits Compilations
  May 8, 2012
• The Short List: The Week's Recommended Shows
  August 3, 2011
• At Il Bistro, They Can Make a Negroni With Tequila, and You Can't Handle Chartreuse
  February 28, 2012
• A Trip to Grocery Outlet Makes The Wino See Red in a New Light
  December 16, 2011
• Phish's August Gorge Gigs to Prove Who First Bridged the Hipster-Hippie Divide
  April 25, 2011

More About

• New Riders of the Purple Sage
• Gram Parsons
• David Nelson
• The Grateful Dead

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Events Newsletter: What's happening in town? From underground club nights to the biggest outdoor festivals, our top picks for the week's best events will always keep you in on the action.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

Listen to a sample of New Riders of the Purple Sage's "Watcha Gonna Do."