Townes Van Zandt: Any fans here?

[fishwax]

I'm watching Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt, and it's a pretty interesting movie. If you like Townes Van Zandt, I recommend checking it out. If you're not familiar with Townes, but you like the song Pancho and Lefty (or folk songwriters in general), it's definitely worth seeing.

Anyone else seen it?

[enigmatic]

1. Oh yeah

I love Townes, and have seen the movie. The guy was a genius, and although I guess I'm in the minority, I loved his voice and his version of his songs were the best versions.

I just played "Lungs" on my show the other night, too...

[fishwax]

2. in the minority, perhaps, but certainly not alone

I don't think I've heard a cover of his songs that I liked better than his version. Listening to him sing Pancho and Lefty, for example (just to reference the obvious)--always just bowls me over. He's got that lilt in his voice, as if every single line is a question--uncertain, without confidence--that somehow makes that song original and fresh and new despite the overproduced (but still incredible in its own right) version we're all used to hearing on the radio. Boy, I dunno ... I agree with you that his version of his songs were the best versions.

I feel especially close to him in his role as a Colorado songwriter, and songs like Columbine and Colorado Bound always get me worked up :)

:toast:

[Robeson]

3. Oh, yeah. I'm a big Cowboy Junkies fan, and they are....

...intertwined. The Junkies did an enitire album themed on him. Not to mention all the help he gave them.

[fishwax]

4. it's been too long since I've listened to the cowboy junkies

I like the cowboy junkies, though I'm certainly no expert, or anything. Which album is themed on Townes?

Have you seen the movie? It's interesting ...

[Robeson]

6. "Miles From Our Home".....

...was the album they dedicated to him. Check it out. It's killer. Some of their other albums get more hype, but this one really touches a theme. It was done in 1998. That album, and "Pale Sun Crescent Moon" are probably my two favorite Junkies albums.

[fishwax]

7. ah, so shortly after he died

that makes sense. I'll definitely have to check it out. Thanks for the suggestion :toast:

[Hissyspit]

5. Yeah. Pancho and Lefty is a classic.

Have a few of his live albums.