On This Day in 1997, Legendary Texas Songwriter Townes Van Zandt Died at the Age of 52

On this day in 1997, singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt died in his Smyrna, Tennessee home at the age of 52. Van Zandt was among a group of elite Texas troubadours that included Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Mickey Newbury. During his all-too-short life, he penned some of the most memorable songs in the country music canon.

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Van Zandt was born into a wealthy and influential family in Texas. The Van Zandt family has a county in the state named after them. However, he chose to live life on his terms, not falling in line with his family or benefitting from their money. This fierce independence carried over to his career. While he wrote hits like “If I Needed You,” “Waiting Around to Die,” and “Pancho and Lefty,” he never had a major chart hit. Most attribute this to the fact that he didn’t tailor himself, his performances, or his recordings to fit the mass consumption mold. He was who he was, take it or leave it.

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While he has been gone for more than 20 years, his deep catalog continues to inspire songwriters. Additionally, several artists and fans still hold him in high regard. Steve Earle once famously said, “Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I’ll stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.”

Townes Van Zandt’s Troubled Life and Death

Townes Van Zandt is lauded as one of the finest songwriters of his generation. His songs were full of down-and-out characters and tales of hardship. He unfortunately lived the lyrics he wrote, to an extent. He lived fast and hard, abusing alcohol and other substances, often showing up for gigs more than half in the bag, and still drinking. Van Zandt stumbled—or was carried—off the stage several times throughout his career.

Before Christmas 1996, Van Zandt fell down the steps outside his house and injured his hip. More than a week later, he went to the hospital where doctors performed several surgeries to repair the femoral fracture caused by the fall. Due to his alcoholism, the doctors refused to write him a prescription for pain medication after his ex-wife checked him out of the hospital against medical advice. As a result, he went home and used Tylenol PM, cannabis, and alcohol to numb the pain.

In the early hours of January 1, 1997, the legendary songwriter died of cardiac arrhythmia with his ex-wife giving him CPR.

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