"Gram Parsons was a Winter Haven native, and this building was open for Gram Parsons and other young musicians like him in 1964 as a place for people under 21 to be able to come perform on a stage before a live audience, and gain that confidence to perform," said Anita Strang, CEO and president of Main Street Winter Haven.
Today, it's a piece of history and is still open for the public to enjoy.
For years, what is now Gram Parsons' Derry Down was used as a storage facility. The building was crumbling, and the land was probably worth more than the building itself.
A local historian pushed Main Street Winter Haven to take action. The building was then donated to them, and a fundraiser began to restore it.
Gram Parsons is known for founding country rock and alt-country. He played with some of the top bands in the country during his time.
Today, his legacy lives on as a place for musicians of all skill levels to feel welcome.
"Even though he had a very short life, his musical influence was really significant. And his music touches people in a way that I think will endure for quite a long time," said Strang.
Main Street Winter Haven does a quarterly young musicians show where they work with local schools. Right now, they're also looking for someone to help run the project.
