''Gliding Bird'' is the debut studio

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records co ...

by American country music singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, released in 1969 on

Jubilee Records Jubilee Records was an American independent record label, specializing in rhythm and blues and novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. His partner was Jerry Blaine. Blaine bought Abramson's half of the compan ...

(JGS-8031.) Her first name was shown as two words ("Emmy Lou") on the jacket. Before she met mentor

Gram Parsons Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) who was known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist who recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, ...

and became a famous

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...

singer, Harris was singing

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

; yet ''Gliding Bird'' displays an eclecticism that is found in her later work. The album contains five folky Harris originals (with influences from

Joan Baez Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...

. Judy Collins and Joni Mitchell) plus the country rock of

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

and

Fred Neil Fred Neil (March 16, 1936 – July 7, 2001) was an American folk singer-songwriter active in the 1960s and early 1970s. He did not achieve commercial success as a performer and is mainly known through other people's recordings of his material& ...

, classic country of Hank Williams and a folk-pop rendition of a Dionne Warwick/Bacharach/David hit. Not until 1985's ''

The Ballad of Sally Rose ''The Ballad of Sally Rose'' is an album by Emmylou Harris released in February 1985. It marked a significant departure for Harris for two reasons. First, all the songs were written by her and her then-husband Paul Kennerley, while her previous ...

'' would another Harris album contain more than two of her own compositions. Jubilee Records folded shortly after the release of this album, thus ceasing any distribution or promotion; its catalogue was purchased by

Roulette Records Roulette Records was an American record company and label founded in 1957 by George Goldner, Joe Kolsky, Morris Levy and Phil Kahl, with creative control given to producers and songwriters Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore. Levy was appointed ...

. Neither of the singles released from the album made any of the

Billboard Music Charts The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the '' ...

. The title song "Gliding Bird," was written by her then-husband, Tom Slocum. The album was later released on the Emus label as ES-12052, with a different cover. Though technically Harris' first album, she subsequently disowned the record and regards 1975's ''

Pieces of the Sky ''Pieces of the Sky'' is the second studio album and major-label debut by American country music artist Emmylou Harris, released on February 7, 1975, through Reprise Records. Although she had released the obscure folk-styled '' Gliding Bird'' fi ...

'' as her first "official" album. However, in 2007 on the ''Songbird'' boxed set of rare material from Rhino Records, an alternate, slightly shorter take of the song "Clocks" from the ''Gliding Bird'' sessions finally saw the light of day.

Track listing

Personnel

Ray Ellis Ray Ellis (July 28, 1923 – October 27, 2008) was an American record producer, arranger, conductor, and saxophonist. He was responsible for the orchestration in Billie Holiday's '' Lady in Satin'' (1958). Biography Raymond Spencer Ellis ...

– producer, arrangements *Mickey Eichner – executive producer *Souren Mozian – recording engineer *The Graffiteria – cover design, photography

References

{{Authority control Emmylou Harris albums 1969 debut albums Jubilee Records albums Albums arranged by Ray Ellis Albums produced by Ray Ellis