A Deeper Blue: The Life and Music of Townes Van Zandt (North Texas Lives of Musicians Series)

This is the first serious biography of a man widely considered one of Texas'?and America's?greatest songwriters. Like Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, and Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt was the embodiment of that mythic American figure, the troubled troubadour. A Deeper Blue traces Van Zandt's background as the scion of a prominent Texas family; his troubled early years and his transformation from promising pre?law student to wandering folk singer; his life on the road and the demons that pursued and were pursued by him; the women who loved and inspired him; and the brilliance and enduring beauty of his songs,which are explored in depth. The author draws on eight years' extensive research and interviews with Townes' family and closest friends and colleagues. He looks beyond the legend and paints a colorful portrait of a complex man who embraced the darkness of demons and myth as well as the light of deep compassion and humanity, all "for the sake of the song."

Like Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, and Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt was the embodiment of that mythic American figure, the troubled troubadour. A Deeper Blue traces Van Zandt't background as the scion of a prominent Texas family; his troubled early years and his transformations from promising pre-law student to wandering folk singer; his life on the road and the demons that pursued and were pursued by him; the women who loved and inspired him; and the brilliance and enduring beauty of his songs.

Jim Collins - Library Journal

Writer and musician Hardy offers the second recent biography of the uncompromising Texas singer/songwriter Townes Van Zandt (1944-97), following John Kruth's 2007 To Live's To Fly. Both books examine similar terrain in Van Zandt's personal history, music, and the demons that plagued him throughout his life. In this extensively researched and footnoted book, Hardy states that Van Zandt's craft was inextricable from his life, and he is particularly adept at setting the context of Van Zandt's life within the musical scenes in which he lived and worked, all the while illustrating the intersection of his personal life and the creative process. Like Kruth, Hardy interviewed many of those who were close to Van Zandt, but Hardy's writing is more streamlined, and his reliance on narrative creates a smoother flow. Smaller libraries that own To Live's To Fly may not need both titles, but Hardy's is certainly recommended for libraries with strong popular culture collections and especially those without material on the legendary Van Zandt.

This is the first serious biography of a man widely considered one of Texas' - and America's - greatest songwriters. Like Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, and Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt was the embodiment of that mythic American figure, the troubled troubadour. A Deeper Blue traces Van Zandt's background as the scion of a prominent Texas family; his troubled early years and his transformation from promising pre-law student to wandering folk singer; his life on the road and the demons that pursued and were pursued by him; the women who loved and inspired him; and the brilliance and enduring beauty of his songs, which are explored in depth. The author draws on eight years' extensive research and interviews with Townes' family and closest friends and colleagues. He looks beyond the legend and paints a portrait of a complex man who embraced the darkness of demons and myth as well as the light of deep compassion and humanity, all "for the sake of the song." Contents......Page 7 List of Photographs......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 9 Introduction: High, Low, and In Between......Page 12 Many a River: The Van Zandts of Texas......Page 18 No Lonesome Tune......Page 24 Where I Lead Me......Page 31 No Place to Fall......Page 44 Sanitarium Blues......Page 57 Waitin’ for the Day......Page 63 For the Sake of the Song......Page 83 Don’t You Take It Too Bad......Page 103 Highway Kind......Page 122 White Freightliner Blues.......Page 143 Dollar Bill Blues......Page 161 Still Lookin’ for You......Page 194 No Deeper Blue......Page 217 Flyin’ Shoes......Page 242 The Blue March......Page 266 Afterword......Page 289 Endnotes......Page 292 Audio and Video Sources......Page 309 Index......Page 313 Like Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, and Hank Williams, Townes Van Zandt was the embodiment of that mythic American figure, the troubled troubadour. This title traces Van Zandt background as the scion of a prominent Texas family and his troubled early years and his transformation from a pre-law student to a wandering folk singer. A biography of Townes Van Zandt which traces his background as the scion of a prominent Texas family; his troubled early years and his transformation from promising pre-law student to wandering folk singer; his life on the road and the demons that pursued and were pursued by him; and the women who loved and inspired him A biography of Texas songwriter Townes Van Zandt, discussing his troubled childhood, the development of his career as a wandering folk singer, and his relationships with women, and including analyses of his songs