Emmylou Harris

Emmylou Harris (born 2 April 1947 in Birmingham, Alabama) is one of the defining voices of American country and roots music, celebrated for her clear, aching soprano and her role in bridging traditional country with folk-rock and Americana. She began her career in the folk clubs of the late 1960s before her pivotal collaboration with Gram Parsons in the early 1970s reshaped her musical direction and introduced her to the cosmic-country sound that would define much of her later work.

Following Parsons's death, Harris built a major solo career, releasing acclaimed albums that mixed classic country, bluegrass and singer-songwriter material, with songs like «Boulder to Birmingham», «Two More Bottles Of Wine» and «If I Needed You» becoming staples of her catalogue. Her 1995 album «Wrecking Ball», produced by Daniel Lanois, marked a significant artistic reinvention that pulled her sound toward atmospheric, alt-country territory and influenced a generation of Americana artists.

Harris has also been a prolific collaborator, notably with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt in the «Trio» albums, and has won multiple Grammy Awards across her career. Her interpretive skill as a vocalist and her championing of songwriters have made her a central, enduring figure in American roots music.