Brought up according to
folk and
blues tradition, Townes van Zandt is the most important
representative of a generation of Texan
singers/
songwriters in the early
'70s.
His songs,
fulfilled of a deep melancholy, found their way to fans and coworkers, while he remained
unknown to the larger public. What makes Van Zandt so fascinating is his
romantic vagabond nature and the esoteric depth of his lyrics. Philosophic
lines like 'being born is going blind' are no exception.
His songs became more famous than Van Zandt himself. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's version of 'Pancho and Lefty'
became a hit in the US, while Emmylou Harris and Nanci Griffith gained international fame with Van Zandt's
'If I Needed you' and 'Tecumseh Valley'.
The weariness of life in his later work can be considered a pre-announcement of his early
death in 1997 at the age of 52.