3 Things to Know About Gram Parsons Joining the Byrds in 1968

He joined the Byrds in February 1968. This was a pivotal moment that introduced his country-rock influence to a mainstream rock audience.

The album Sweetheart of the Rodeo was his first major project with the band. It marked a shift toward a more country sound, which was controversial at the time but later influential.

His tenure was short but impactful. Parsons left the Byrds later in 1968, but his brief stint helped define the genre of country rock.