Search - Townes Van Zandt :: Texas Troubadour

Essential Collection of a True Poet

James Morris | Jackson Heights, NY United States | 05/07/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Each and every time I play this box set, I am blown away by the stark poetic brilliance of Townes Van Zandt's writing and the simple, pure and unique sound of his voice. Although best known for his iconic compositions, If I Needed You and Pancho & Lefty, there are few, if any, of his songs which do not startle with their vivid, deft portraits of life, love and heartache. Unfortunately, he has been all but forgotten by even many folk and country enthusiasts, but his reputation lives on among the countless singers and songwriters he befriended and influenced, including such diverse talents as Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett and even Rodney Crowell. Steve Earle once called him, "the greatest songwriter who ever lived". A number of highly praised folk and country singer / songwriters of the last 30 years have concurred without reservation, adding his songs to their own repertoires while professing fanatical devotion to his words and music. Artists like Van Zandt simply don't come along every day.



Van Zandt was more of a rebel than almost any other singer / poet that springs to mind, yet his tunes and especially his lyrics are more accessible than one would expect, given his reputation as a wordsmith of uncommon depth and perception. Above all, his songs express a clarity of thought that is almost unequalled among songwriters of the last 50 years, especially for someone who was once confined to a mental institution and labeled a manic-depressive and a schizophrenic. Van Zandt often said that he drew a great deal of inspiration from the guitar playing of Blues legend Lightin' Hopkins and the songwriting style of Bob Dylan, and he covered Hopkins' material frequently in his live shows. Many critics and fellow musicians agree that Van Zandt and Guy Clark mutually influenced each other, each inspiring the other to heights that neither of them might have achieved had their close friendship not existed.



Townes Van Zandt was a prolific writer who recorded about thirty albums in a career that lasted not quite as many years. From his first album, For the Sake of the Song, included here, until his untimely death on New Years day 1997, he produced a body of work that dwarfed the output of many other singer / songwriters who lived through and beyond the same period. This set contains his first seven studio albums plus live material, all on four CD's.



Along with Steve Earle, Guy Clark and David Allen Coe, Townes Van Zandt shared the focus of the acclaimed 1975 documentary, Heartworn Highways. He has also been the focus of many tribute albums and dedications, and enjoys a reputation among his fellow performers that is as solid as it is deserved.



While any of Van Zandt's work is suggested for music lovers of discerning taste, this boxed set is a particularly wonderful collection of his earliest and most essential work. The price seems to vary wildly from dealer to dealer depending on its availability, but at almost any price, this one is a definite keeper. Highly recommended.

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