Music of course, is an integral part of this country soaked movie. With a miniscule budget for the soundtrack, the production team needed a few miracles to secure the rights. Luckily they got them. One song that perfectly sums up the relationship between Kaufman and Parsons and was integral to the movie was Bruce Springsteen's Blood Brothers. Springsteen is known for guarding his back catalogue zealously and rarely clears music for films other than those he's directly involved in. He generously allowed the producers to use the track for a fraction of his usual fee. Primal Scream's Movin On Up is the only out-of-period song on the soundtrack but again, fits the mood of the film perfectly. Bobby Gillespie also allowed the song to be featured at a cut price rate.

Even more remarkable for such a low budget movie is the end title track, a cover of Parsons' Hot Burrito Number Two by Star Sailor, rumoured to be produced by the legendary Phil Spector, famous for producing the Beatles, the Ronettes, Tina Turner, and the Ramones. There are four other Parsons' tracks on the film: Thousand Dollar Wedding, Return of the Grievous Angel, Love Hurts and A Song For You, the last two duets with Emmylou Harris. After the film had finished shooting, the estate of Gram Parsons – consisting of Gram’s estranged wife, Gretchen (now married to Bob Carpenter of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) and his daughter Polly Parsons – approved the screenplay and agreed to the use of Gram’s music in the film. Mannion says that “We were thrilled that the Parsons’ estate sanctioned the film. The film actually had the effect of bringing the Parsons’ family together for the first time in 30 years.

Gram’s daughter, Polly, made contact with Emmylou Harris and Gram’s wife, Gretchen, reconciled with Polly. Without the estate’s approval we wouldn’t have been allowed to use Gram’s music. Hopefully the film, especially with Knoxville’s cachet, will introduce Parsons’ music to a younger and wider audience”. Regarding the choice of Parsons’ tracks, Mannion observed, “We were careful to use only original Gram Parsons’ tracks, not covers. The mood of $1000 Wedding, and ironically its lyrics of “supposed to be a funeral, it’s been a bad bad day” seemed appropriate for the sombre nature of the opening titles; Return of the Grievous Angel is the most country of the Gram tracks and we used it to signify the shift from urban LA to the wide open spaces of the desert that Gram held so dear; Love Hurts is playing on the juke-box in the desert diner almost as if the locals are mourning Gram and A Song for You sums up Kaufman’s mood as he prepares to cremate his best friend in Joshua Tree”. The soundtrack album is available on Cube Soundtracks.