Among other things, the Lone Star State prides itself on producing a crop of quality songwriters. Notably, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings all hail from the land of bluebonnets. However, when asked to name the greatest storyteller ever to come out of Texas, many—Nelson included—would point to Townes Van Zandt. The master of melancholia was born on this day (March 7) in 1944. On what would have been his 82nd birthday, we’re taking a look at his life and legacy.
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Born into a wealthy Fort Worth family, John Townes Van Zandt’s parents had aspirations of turning him into a lawyer or senator. He even enrolled in a pre-law program at the University of Houston. However, the “Rex’s Blues” singer had been dreaming of a different path ever since he watched Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show at age 9.
He frequented Houston’s Jester Lounge in his off-time from law school. He watched and learned from guitar legends like Lightnin’ Hopkins, Guy Clark, and Jerry Jeff Walker. Following his father’s death in January 1966, Van Zandt left school behind. He hit the road in pursuit of his musical dreams, traveling with Walker and Clark.
Eventually, he landed in Nashville, catching the attention of Poppy Records’ Kevin Eggers. Van Zandt released his debut album, For the Sake of the Song, in 1968.
[RELATED: 3 Townes Van Zandt Songs That Are a Masterclass in Songwriting]
Townes Van Zandt Takes Nashville
Although never quite breaking into the mainstream, Townes Van Zandt commanded the respect of his Nashville peers almost instantly. Of her first time seeing him perform, Emmylou Harris said, “I thought he was the ghost of Hank Williams, with a twist.”
Releasing 10 albums throughout his career, Van Zandt told his third wife, Jeanene Munsell, that all he ever wanted to do was write the perfect song that would save someone’s life. Sadly, he could never quite save his own, locked in a lifelong battle against the twin demons of substance use and manic depression. After several near-death experiences, Townes Van Zandt died in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 1997. Just 52 years old, he had suffered cardiac arrhythmia.
One of Van Zandt’s contemporaries, Steve Earle, was only slightly exaggerating when he declared, “Townes Van Zandt’s the best songwriter in the world, and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.”
Featured image by David Redfern/Redferns
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