Townes Van Zandt
Singer-Songwriter
Outlaw Country
Townes Van Zandt was a Texas-born singer-songwriter and guitarist whose songs — "Pancho and Lefty," "If I Needed You," "To Live's to Fly," "Tecumseh Valley" — have become a core part of the bluegrass and folk-revival working repertoire, recorded by everyone from Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard to Emmylou Harris.
- Born March 7, 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas; died January 1, 1997 in Smyrna, Tennessee at age 52.
- Descendant of Isaac Van Zandt, namesake of Van Zandt County, Texas.
- Diagnosed with bipolar disorder; underwent insulin shock therapy as a young man, which erased much of his long-term memory.
- Most prolific period 1968–1973, releasing six albums including "Our Mother the Mountain," "Townes Van Zandt," "Delta Momma Blues," "High, Low and In Between," and "The Late Great Townes Van Zandt."
- Wrote "Pancho and Lefty," which Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard took to #1 on the Billboard country chart in 1983 (Van Zandt cameos in the video).
- Other signature songs include "If I Needed You," "To Live's to Fly," "Waitin' Round to Die," and "Tecumseh Valley."
- Featured prominently in the 1975 documentary "Heartworn Highways"; the 2004 documentary "Be Here to Love Me" renewed wider interest.
- Inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2015 (with Loretta Lynn and Guy Clark).
-
If I Needed YouThe Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972)
-
LorettaFlyin' Shoes (1978)
-
Pancho and LeftyThe Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972)
-
Tecumseh ValleyOur Mother the Mountain (1969)
-
Townes Van ZandtPlayed on recordings with Townes Van Zandt