Winter Haven in Polk County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Gram Parsons Derry Down
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, December 23, 2017
1. Gram Parsons Derry Down Marker
Inscription.
Gram Parsons Derry Down. . On December 20, 1964, Winter Haven businessman Bob Parsons opened the Derry Down in this building. The English-themed teen club’s primary purpose was to give his stepson, Gram Parsons, a performance venue for his folk band, The Shilos. The club not only provided a venue for local youth musicians, but it helped elevate Winter Haven as a destination for traveling groups in the region. The Derry Down became part of a circuit of Florida teen centers in the 1960s that provided fledgling musicians a place to hone their skills as performers. In 1968, Gram Parsons joined the American folk rock standard-bearers The Byrds. In 1969, he founded the country rock band, Flying Burrito Brothers. Parsons recorded two genre-bending solo albums with then-unknown folk singer, Emmylou Harris. He died in 1973 in Joshua Tree, California, at age 26. In 2013, author Bob Kealing raised awareness that the building was slated for demolition. The building’s owner, Six/Ten, LLC donated the building to the community-driven Derry Down Project, a Main Street Winter Haven initiative, to restore the building and preserve its legacy by nurturing new artists.
On December 20, 1964, Winter Haven businessman Bob Parsons opened the Derry Down in this building. The English-themed teen club’s primary purpose was to give his stepson, Gram Parsons, a performance venue for his folk band, The Shilos. The club not only provided a venue for local youth musicians, but it helped elevate Winter Haven as a destination for traveling groups in the region. The Derry Down became part of a circuit of Florida teen centers in the 1960s that provided fledgling musicians a place to hone their skills as performers. In 1968, Gram Parsons joined the American folk rock standard-bearers The Byrds. In 1969, he founded the country rock band, Flying Burrito Brothers. Parsons recorded two genre-bending solo albums with then-unknown folk singer, Emmylou Harris. He died in 1973 in Joshua Tree, California, at age 26. In 2013, author Bob Kealing raised awareness that the building was slated for demolition. The building’s owner, Six/Ten, LLC donated the building to the community-driven Derry Down Project, a Main Street Winter Haven initiative, to restore the building and preserve its legacy by nurturing new artists.
Erected 2015 by Derry Down Project, Main Street Winter Haven, Inc., Bob Kealing, and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-869.)
Topics. This historical marker
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is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical date for this entry is December 20, 1964.
Location. 28° 1.493′ N, 81° 43.915′ W. Marker is in Winter Haven, Florida, in Polk County. Marker is on 5th Street Northwest south of Avenue D Northwest, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 297 5th St NW, Winter Haven FL 33881, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Derry Down. (Submitted on January 1, 2018, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida.)
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, December 23, 2017
2. Gram Parsons Derry Down Marker and building
Credits. This page was last revised on January 2, 2018. It was originally submitted on January 1, 2018, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 563 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on January 1, 2018, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
