Emmylou Harris

Born in 1947 in Birmingham, Alabama, into a military family, Emmylou Harris grew up between North Carolina and Virginia before turning to folk in Washington coffeehouses and then the Greenwich Village scene in the late 1960s. Meeting Gram Parsons was a decisive turning point: in the early 1970s Harris accompanied him in the studio and on stage, firmly establishing her in a style that blended country, folk and rock influences. Later based in Nashville, she developed a steady solo career with albums such as “Pieces of the Sky” (1975), “Elite Hotel” (1975) and “Luxury Liner” (1977), where covers of country standards sit alongside more personal compositions, supported by her band The Hot Band. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s Harris also explored bluegrass and acoustic formats before taking a more atmospheric, alternative turn with “Wrecking Ball” in 1995, produced by Daniel Lanois. Subsequent records, including “Red Dirt Girl” (2000) and “Stumble into Grace” (2003), deepened this blend of Americana, intimate folk and contemporary country, while numerous duets and collaborative projects sustained her presence on American and international stages.