Gram Parsons assembled the group that came to be known as the Fallen Angels to promote his first album with Emmylou Harris, GP.

The Fallen Angels Tour began fairly disastrously, but did become legendary. Parsons had to use a new band, since the Elvis Presley sidemen who played on the album were too expensive for a tour. Barry Tashian declined to come along, but his old bandmate in the Remains, N.D. Smart, joined as drummer. Emmylou Harris suggested her former accompanist, Gerry Mule, who became the tour's lead guitarist. Two Nashville session men filled out the roster: bassist Kyle Tullis and steel guitarist Neil Flanz.

The rehearsals took place at Phil Kaufman's home and quickly degenerated into parties. The first stop was Boulder, Colorado, where the Angels were booked for 3-night stand. On the first night, a wasted Parsons led his unprepared band through a ramshackle set. Emmylou Harris was concerned and manager Eddie Tickner threatened to abort the whole tour. Parsons agreed to lay off drugs for the duration of the tour (at least during showtime) and rehearsed the band.

On night three, a local guitarist named Jock Bartley sat in with the Angels, and Parsons decided to dump Gerry Mule. Mule, an acoustic folk guitarist, couldn't play either country or rock. Bartley couldn't play country music, either, but he had a good grasp of rock guitar.

Things improved steadily as the tour progressed. The Fallen Angels played to 2,000 in Austin's premier club. The band had worked out careful arrangements for about a dozen tunes by then, and during a 4-night stand in Houston, Parsons, Harris and guest Linda Ronstadt did an impromptu version of Sin City at the third show. On the last night, Rondstadt and Neil Young joined the band on stage. The Fallen Angels played to a full house at Max's Kansas City, since the late 1960s a locus of New York's underground community.