Don't Carry It All

Don't Carry It All

Josh Parsons, live and session player from Nashville, breaks down an awesome song from a great band, “Don’t Carry It All,” by The Decemberists.

The Decemberists are an Indie folk/rock band from Portland, Oregon. This song was on their sixth studio album, The King is Dead, which was released on Capital Records in January 2011. The album reached number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart for the week ending on February 5th, 2011. 

The band’s songs range from upbeat pop to instrumentally lush ballads, and they often use instruments like the accordion, the hammond organ, wurlitzers, violin, and upright bass. They are also well known for their eclectic live shows. 

Their lyrics often focus on historical incidents, and/or folklore, with performances often involving some audience participation, typically during encores. 

Josh plays an Gibson Acoustic Hummingbird in this lesson.

Josh Parsons grew up with a love of the guitar. For the past 15 years he's played all over the country with many bands and artists. He moved to Nashville in the fall of 2010, after playing lead guitar for Indiana-based Christian pop/rock band Sevenglory (2005-2010). Since moving to Nashville, he has continued to play guitar for various artists and recording projects, including up and coming singer/songwriter Brady Toops. He and his wife, Sarah, live in Nashville, Tennessee.