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Gavin B. · 01-06-2010, 11:19 AM

I've been listening to Townes since I was a kid way back in the 80s. My personal feeling is that Townes was an American Leonard Cohen. Van Zandt belonged in that rarified class of songwriters with an enduring and epic body of work. Bob Dylan casts a long shadow upon everyone else. But Townes was the equal of Cohen, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Lennon/McCartney, Ray Davies, Elvis Costello, Suzanne Vega, Neil Young, Smokey Robinson, Tom Waits, John Hiatt, Paul Simon, John Prine, and Carol King all of whom among the best of their generation.

I wrote a commentary in my MB journal on Townes' music: Gavin B. on Townes Van Zant's music

Townes' music didn't have an immediate recognition factor because Townes never attained ( and he didn't want to attain) the status of a high profile celebrity. Townes led a hermetic existence in a ramshackle cabin in rural Texas and touring outside of Texas was an ordeal for him. Townes was the disinherited son of a wealthy Texas family and Van Zandt county in Texas is named for one of Townes' socially prominent ancestors. Townes' unexpected death at the age of 52 in 1997 has been attributed to the cumulative effect of alcohol and drug consumption.

In the video below, Townes singing his best known song Pancho & Lefty. The video was filmed in 1988 at a Holiday Inn in Houston that was arranged when high rolling fan offered Townes enough money for a private concert.

01-06-2010, 11:19 AM	#13 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	I've been listening to Townes since I was a kid way back in the 80s. My personal feeling is that Townes was an American Leonard Cohen. Van Zandt belonged in that rarified class of songwriters with an enduring and epic body of work. Bob Dylan casts a long shadow upon everyone else. But Townes was the equal of Cohen, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Lennon/McCartney, Ray Davies, Elvis Costello, Suzanne Vega, Neil Young, Smokey Robinson, Tom Waits, John Hiatt, Paul Simon, John Prine, and Carol King all of whom among the best of their generation. I wrote a commentary in my MB journal on Townes' music: Gavin B. on Townes Van Zant's music Townes' music didn't have an immediate recognition factor because Townes never attained ( and he didn't want to attain) the status of a high profile celebrity. Townes led a hermetic existence in a ramshackle cabin in rural Texas and touring outside of Texas was an ordeal for him. Townes was the disinherited son of a wealthy Texas family and Van Zandt county in Texas is named for one of Townes' socially prominent ancestors. Townes' unexpected death at the age of 52 in 1997 has been attributed to the cumulative effect of alcohol and drug consumption. In the video below, Townes singing his best known song Pancho & Lefty. The video was filmed in 1988 at a Holiday Inn in Houston that was arranged when high rolling fan offered Townes enough money for a private concert.