Billy Joe Shaver - another Texas legend gone. RIP. Great songwriter.

Well, crap.

A massive talent.

Peter

From TEXAS MONTHLY:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-ballad-of-billy-joe-shaver/

and also the passing of one of his compadres:

https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/jerry-jeff-walker-death/

JW

billy joe was one of my favorite lyricists.  casting my mind back to when i was having an affair with soon to be wife #2 while still married to wife #1 (i don't recommend this course of action, BTW - it led to decades of heartache and misery), one of his CDs was on my playlist, in particular a song named "Black Rose" -

Quotewell the devil made me do it the first time.  Second time i done it on my own...

Whooooo!  I still grin when i hear his name and that song comes to mind.  might just have to fire that one up this morning.  maybe laugh and cry at the same time...

One of the original Texas Outlaws that rejuvenated Country music in the early 70's.  I remember when I first became aware of him when I heard Waylon Jennings' "Honky Tonk Heroes" album composed of Billy Joe songs.   It was all my friends and I listened to for a couple of months.

May the Four Winds Blow You Safely Home

Bill, tgo

The night Townes Van Zandt died, Billy Joe, his son Eddy, and my friend Mick Scott sat up all night passing a whiskey bottle & a guitar around, singing TVZ songs; they're all 4 gone now - and the world is a much darker place for it.

Peter