Damn 2020, really?

Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver passing literally within days of each other? That’s cold.

It’s pretty safe to say that Texas music wouldn’t have been what it was without either of them. Robert Earl Keen was my first proper introduction to Texas music, but Jerry Jeff wasn’t far behind. First place I ever heard Jerry Jeff was on the radio, believe it or not, on Rowdy Yates’ classic country show that was then called Solid Gold Sunday on KILT 100.3 FM.

“…this song is by Ray Wylie Hubbard…”

Honestly, I think if I was asked to introduce Texas music to someone, I would recommend Viva Terlingua to them and tell them to go from there.

And what to say about Billy Joe Shaver that doesn’t come up woefully short? He was one of the greatest, most authentic songwriters of our time. Hawking the tables at Green Gables, his grandma’s old-age pension being the reason he’s standing here today, shooting a man in Waco but not being able to talk much about it…all of that stuff came straight from his life. That’s really about as authentic as it gets, and we’ll never see the likes of him again.

But much like the songs he leaves behind him, he’s gonna live forever now.

Tags: music