Billy Joe Shaver’s new album
HIS FIRST NEW STUDIO ALBUM SINCE
EVERYBODY’S BROTHER IN 2008,
OUT AUGUST 5 ON LIGHTNING ROD RECORDS
75th birthday
Produced by Ray Kennedy and Gary Nicholson, album features guests Willie Nelson,
Leon Russell, Tony Joe White, Shawn Camp, Jedd Hughes, Joel Guzman and more.
The first thing I want to say about Billy Joe Shaver is who has covered his songs. This is a list I got from his website (under the beautifully titled tab Owed To Billie Joe), which I repeat in full, for dramatic effect.
All American Band | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Allman Brothers Band | Sweet Mama |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Anderson, John | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Annie Duggan Band | Live Forever |
Asleep at the Wheel | Way Down Texas Way |
Aulridge, Mike | Bottom Dollar |
Babcock, Jim | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Backyard Tire Fire | Black Rose |
Bare, Bobby | Freezing in El Paso |
Jesus Christ, What a Man | |
Laying Here Lying in Bed | |
Music City USA | |
Ride Me Down Easy | |
Short and Sweet | |
How About You | |
Rosa Lee | |
Jesus is the Only One Who Loves Us | |
New York City Snow | |
Christian Soldier | |
West Virginia Woman | |
I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal | |
Restless Wind | |
Barnes, Steve & Country Money | You Asked Me To |
Benoit, Tab | Comin’ On Strong |
Betts, Dickey & Great Southern | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Big Bull Band | You Asked Me To |
Birmingham, Jarrod | Ride Me Down Easy |
Big City Sunrise | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Bob Nolan | Ride Me Down Easy |
Boland, Jason | When the Word was Thunderbird |
Bookbinder, Roy | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Boland, Jason | When the Word was Thunderbird |
Slow Rollin’ Low | |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Bowen, Wade & West 84 | You Asked Me To |
Bowman, Don | Poetic Justice |
Bradley, Dale Ann | Live Forever |
BR549 | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Brown, Bob | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Sweet Mama | |
Brown, Jim Ed | Layin’ Here Lyin’ in Bed |
Brown, Joe | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Brumer, Pavel | Honky Tonk Heroes (Blues Deravejch Dusi) |
Bruno, Pavel | When the Fallen Angels Fly |
Brunson, Jan | When the Fallen Angels Fly |
Carter, Adam | Good News Blues |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Cash, John Carter | I Been To Georgia on a Fast Train |
Cash, Johnny | Cowboy Who Started the Fight |
It Ain’t Nothing New Babe | |
Lately I Been Leanin’ Toward the Blues | |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal | |
If I Give My Soul | |
When Jesus was Our Savior | |
You Just Can’t Beat Jesus Christ | |
Cash, Johnny & June Carter | Live Forever |
Casinos | Restless Wind |
Channing, Carol | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Chapman, Marshall | You Asked Me To |
Chesnutt, Mark | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Clueless | Willy the Wandering Gypsy & Me |
Coe, David Allen | Ride Me Down Easy |
Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Confederate Railroad | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Honky Tonk Heroes | |
Country Profile | Ride Me Down Easy |
Crane, Joan | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Crary, Dan | Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me |
Creager, Roger | Love is So Sweet |
Delta Kings | If I Give My Soul |
Diamondback Texas | Hottest Thing in Town |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Drag the River | Ride Me Down Easy |
Duvall, Robert | Live Forever |
Dylan, Bob | Old Five and Dimers Like Me |
Dynobil | Ride Me Down Easy |
Easter, Jeff & Sheri | Live Forever |
Eleven Hundred Springs | Omaha |
You Asked Me To | |
Ely, Joe | Live Forever |
Fast Freddie & the Cliffhangers | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Fesaci | Good Christian Soldier (Kousek Lasky) |
Ford, Tennesse Ernie | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Fowler, Damon | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Freak Mountain Ramblers | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Garner, Beth | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Gilmore, Jimmie Dale & Colin | Hearts a-Bustin’ |
Glaser, Tompall | Willy the Wandering Gypsy & Me |
Good Lord Knows I Tried | |
Goodman, Steve | Christian Soldier |
Gospel Sounds | Jesus Christ, What a Man |
Gourds | Omaha |
Gravity | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Greene, Gary | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Greenhorns | Silver Wings of Time (Jestrab Cas) |
Old Five and Dimers Like Me (Matciny Ruze) | |
Griffith, Nanci | You Asked Me To |
The Gun Hands | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Hall, Tom T. | Old Five and Dimers Like Me |
Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me | |
Hamilton, Nathan & No Deal | Black Rose |
Harris, Emmylou | Old Five and Dimers |
Hartford, John | You Asked Me To |
Hayden, Rodney | Black Rose |
Helm, Billy | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Henderson, Bugs | Tramp on Your Street |
High Jacks | Hottest Thing in Town |
Highwaymen | Live Forever |
Howard, Randy | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Hubbard, Ray Wylie | Black Rose |
Hunter, Billy D. | Old Five and Dimers |
You Asked Me To | |
Slow Rollin’ Low | |
Hurricane Sam | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Jackson, Stonewall | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Jennings, Tommy | You Asked Me To |
Jennings, Waylon | Slow Rollin’ Low |
Honky Tonk Heroes | |
Old Five and Dimers Like Me | |
Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me | |
Low Down Freedom | |
Omaha | |
You Asked Me To | |
Ride Me Down Easy | |
Ain’t No God in Mexico | |
Black Rose | |
Jimbob Convoy | Black Rose |
Jones, George | Tramp on Your Street |
Jones, Tom | If I Give My Soul |
Julips | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Just the Boyz | If I Give My Soul |
Kornrich, Mike | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Keen, Robert Earl | Bottom Dollar |
Live Forever | |
Keillor, Garrison | Merry Christmas to You |
Kershaw, Doug | Black Rose |
Knight, Tommy | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Kommander Frankie | You Asked Me To |
Krauss, Alison | You Asked Me To |
Kristofferson, Kris | Christian Soldier |
Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me | |
LaRue, Stoney | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Lazy Cowgirls | Goodbye to Yesterday |
Lazy Dogs | Moonshine and Indian Blood |
Good News Blues | |
LeDoux, Chris | Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me |
Lewis Family | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Lewis, Little Roy & Lizzie Young | You Asked Me To |
Lewis, Jerry Lee | Bottom Dollar |
When I Get My Wings | |
Lewis, Laurie & The Right Hand | Live Forever |
Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials | Tramp on Your Street |
London, Bridgitte | You Asked Me To |
Loveless, Patty | When the Fallen Angels Fly |
Mark Stuart and the Bastard Sons | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Metroschifter | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Midnight Ramblers | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Miklos, Mark | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Minglewood, Matt | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Moore, Dallas | Black Rose |
Hottest Thing in Town | |
Moore, Lanky | Love You Til the Cows Come Home |
Morgan, Whitey & the Waycross GA Farmboys | Ride Me Down Easy |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Honky Tonk Heroes | |
Morrow, Cory | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Morrow, Cory & Pat Green | Live Forever |
Mothertruckers | Ride Me Down Easy |
When I Get My Wings | |
Neil, Fred | Bottom Dollar |
Nelson, Willie | Black Rose |
I Couldn’t Be Me Without You | |
Old Five and Dimers Like Me | |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Nolan, Bob | Ride Me Down Easy |
Nolan, Scott | Good News Blues |
Oakridge Boys | Jesus Christ, What a Man |
Ochs, Kevin | Ride Me Down Easy |
Østlien, Hans Magnar | When the Fallen Angels Fly |
Outlaws & Angels | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Panama Red | Bottom Dollar |
Paul, Billy | Bottom Dollar |
Party Hit Kings | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Paycheck, Johnny | Ragged Ol’ Truck |
Payne, Waylon | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Presley, Elvis | You Asked Me To |
Railbenders | Black Rose |
Radio Sweethearts | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Randy Rodgers Band | Black Rose |
Rattlesnake Annie | My Mother’s Name is Victory |
Ray, Colin & Joe Diffie | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Reckless Kelly | Hottest Thing in Town |
Rex, Buford | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Ritter, Tex | Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me |
Robison, Bruce & Kelly Willis | Ride Me Down Easy |
Rock ‘N’ Roll Outlaw | Black Rose |
Roka-Billys | You Asked Me To |
Rodgers, Gamble | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Rodriguez, Johnny | I Couldn’t Be Me Without You |
Texas Uphere Tennessee | |
New York City Snow | |
Good Lord Knows I Tried | |
Ride Me Down Easy | |
Russell, Tom | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Secret Sessions (Hunter, Lainge, West) | Low Down Freedom |
Seiter, Leon | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Seldom Scene | Ride Me Down Easy |
Sellers, Melissa | Live Forever |
Shaver, Eddy | Good News Blues |
Shawn Z | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Shuey Brothers | Bottom Dollar |
Slow Rollin’ Lows | Slow Rollin’ Low |
Smith, Paul | The Road |
Skeeters | Honey Chile |
Alabama Love Song | |
Mothertrucker | |
Snider, Todd | Live Forever |
Good News Blues | |
Bottom Dollar | |
Ragged Ol’ Truck | |
Deja Blues | |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Ride Me Down Easy | |
Solcich, Tempest | Hill Country Love Song |
Sons of the Pioneers | Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me |
Spahetti, Eddie | Bottom Dollar |
St. Clair, Johnny | Black Rose |
Steagall, Red | Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me |
Stexyk, Marc & Karl Hinson | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Stuart, Marty | If I Give My Soul |
Taylor, Jackson | Slow Rolling Low |
Ride Me Down Easy | |
Black Rose | |
Ragged Ol’ Truck | |
Honky Tonk Heroes | |
Tennessee Rounders | Black Rose |
Tenpenney, Steve | Black Rose/I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Toad Hole Flats | Old Five & Dimers |
Top Country (studio band) | You Asked Me To |
Trey Stapleton Band | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Tucny, Michael | Live Forever (Ja Budu Zit Na Veky) |
Tuka, Onkel | Hvis Jeg Gir Min Sjel (If I Give My Soul) |
Twangbangers | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Two Cow Garage | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Union Sundown | If I Give My Soul |
Vycital, Honza | Jestrab Cas (Silver Wings of Time) |
Von Ehrics | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal | |
Waddell, David | Mothertrucker |
Waldron, Cliff | Ride Me Down Easy |
Walker, Jerry Jeff | Old Five and Dimers Like Me |
Walker, Scott | Low Down Freedom |
Black Rose | |
Ride Me Down Easy | |
Old Five and Dimers Like Me | |
Washington Ratso & Jesse Taylor | I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train |
Watson, Aaron | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Watson, Dale | You Asked Me To |
Welch, Mary | Star in My Heart |
Westerburg, Paul | Live Forever |
Whitfield, Barrance & Tom Russell | Black Rose |
Whiting, Joe | Live Forever |
Whitley, Keith | To Be Loved By a Woman |
Ride Me Down Easy | |
Widespread Panic | I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal |
Williams, Robin & Linda | Hill Country Love Song |
Wonderland, Carolyn | Honky Tonk Heroes |
Woodall, Jeremy | Black Rose |
Love You ‘Til the Cows Come Home | |
I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train | |
Wright, Kenny | Honky Tonk Heroes |
He may not be a household name but Billy Joe Shaver’s songs are all-pervasive.
Long in the Tooth, Shaver’s new album is set for an August 5 2014 release on Lightning Rod Records through Thirty Tigers. “Each song is different with different beats and different kinds of music,” he says. “I even have one rap song. The titles are all so catchy like “It’s Hard to Be an Outlaw” (see below for a link) and “The Git Go”. Those are pretty hard to beat. Songwriting is gut wrenching, but if you dig down and write real honest you’ll find something real great. I believe everybody should write. It’s the cheapest psychiatrist there is and, God knows, I still need one”.
Long in the Tooth is said to spotlight all the highs, lows and in-betweens from Shaver’s storied career, an evolving narrative never short on colour. “The record’s about me,” says Shaver, who turns 75 years old in August. “I’ve written a lot of great songs and I’m still writing great songs, but I felt neglected. I have been, actually. The reluctance to play old people’s music is as bad as it was to play young people’s music. I think it should level out where everyone can hear good art, but it seems like radio doesn’t play older people’s music. Man, it’s like throwing out the Mona Lisa. I don’t understand, but I’m just so proud of Long in the Tooth. This record will be a gigantic step”.
Honky Tonk Heroes was the record that skyrocketed Shaver into public consciousness four decades ago. Waylon Jennings’ landmark album delivered Shaver-written classics practically every measure: “Old Five and Dimers Like Me” (covered also by Bob Dylan), “Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me,” “Ride Me Down Easy,” the title track and the Top 10 hit “You Asked Me To.” In fact, ten of the album’s eleven songs were written or co-written by Shaver. It established him as a singular songwriter, a man whose earthy poetry resonates across the board. He’s doubled down ever since.
“That’s kind of like my trophies,” Shaver admits. “Instead of getting CMA Awards, that means a whole lot more to me. When you write songs, and you write good songs, people will always remember you. Words will always outlive us. And if your name is attached to those words, you’re gonna live forever.”
The Corsicana, Texas native’s Lone Star State roots run deep: His great-great-great grandfather, Revolutionary War veteran Evan Thomas Watson, was one of the founders of the Texas Republic. Shaver was raised in hardscrabble circumstances by his grandmother, working on farms and selling newspapers on the street in his youth. He sang and made up songs “since I could talk,” and was inspired in his childhood to keep at it after sneaking out of home one night to catch a country music show where he heard Hank Williams early in his career.
He drew a connection between country and blues from an uncle’s record collection and the neighboring African-American farm workers’ music. “Country music is really close to being the blues, and rock ’n’ roll ain’t nothing but the blues with a beat. That’s about it,” he says. Shaver was given a Gene Autry guitar by his grandmother at age eleven and began playing until his stepfather gave it away a few years later as payment for yard work. Following a brief stint in the Navy at age sixteen, a stab at professional rodeo, and the aforementioned incident losing parts of his fingers, Shaver took up playing guitar again and devoted himself to songwriting.
He hitchhiked to Nashville in 1965 and eventually earned a $50-a-week writer’s deal with Bobby Bare’s publishing company. Soon Jennings picked up those Shaver classics for Honk Tonk Heroes. As The Washington Post notes, “When the country outlaws were collecting their holy writings, Billy Joe Shaver was carving out Exodus.” He followed his debut on the Monument label with three albums on Capricorn Records and two on Columbia through 1987, seeing little commercial success with his recordings but winning rave reviews and the admiration of his musical peers.
In 1993, he broke through with new generations and broader audiences as the currently booming Americana and Texas roots music and singer-songwriter scenes were gathering steam with the acclaimed Tramp On Your Street, united with his late guitar-playing son Eddy as simply Shaver. He has since issued eleven more independent albums, was honored with the first Americana Music Award for Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting in 2002, and inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004.
As his well-deserved public recognition came in the 1990s, Shaver was cast by his friend and fan Robert Duvall in his acclaimed 1996 film The Apostle, and has since played parts in three other theatrical and TV movies. He was the subject of a 2004 documentary produced by Duvall, A Portrait of Billy Joe, and published his autobiography, Honky Tonk Hero, the following year. He also sings the themes to the Adult Swim television show Squidbillies (!!) and “Live Forever” was included in the award-winning hit movie Crazy Heart as its end-credit song.
With these accomplishments behind him, Shaver has been thinking his creative well finally dried up. After all, he hasn’t released an album with new songs in six years. “I didn’t think I had another hope in the world of doing another studio album,” Shaver says. “Then Todd Snider encouraged me to come up to Nashville and I listened. I knew if I didn’t come out with new songs, it wouldn’t be right. I’ve promised hundreds of critics that I would. So, I just buckled down and got the new songs together. Sure enough, it turned out great.”
On September 28 2014, Shaver and many of his musical friends and fans will celebrate his 75th birthday with a concert at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas.
Billy Joe Shaver’s new album