owed to billy joe
recordings of shaver songs
"he writes like somebody playing a great solo" -- Eddy Shaver
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In the early 1970's, artists tired of the Nashville cookie cutters wanted to do two things -- say it their way and play it their way. Some "old-timers" like Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson had already been part of the scene a while, but wanted a change. New folks like Kris Kristofferson were beginning to make ripples, showing Nashville country songs could be poetry. Then a young man from Texas hitched a ride on a cantaloupe truck and took his music to Tennessee. The songs of Billy Joe Shaver have been recorded by artists from all areas of music. His songs are "folk music" in the purest form. They speak to real people. The listing below tries to show the wide range of Shaver covers. Not all the songs listed are available on commercial recordings, but their existence has been verified. There are likely others out there, and they will be added as available.
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Honky Tonk Heroes
Old Five And Dimers (Like Me)
Willy The Wandering Gypsy And Me
Low Down Freedom
Omaha
You Asked Me To
Ride Me Down Easy
Ain't No God In Mexico
Black Rose
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The 1973 release of Waylon Jennings' Honky Tonk Heroes established Billy Joe Shaver as a major songwriting force. Nine of the ten tunes had the Shaver touch. Waylon also later recorded Slow Rolling Low and released an alternate mix of You Asked Me To. If alt.country, OKOM, or whatever you call it has a Bible, this must be one of the gospels.
INDIVIDUAL RECORDINGS OF BILLY JOE SHAVER SONGS Allman Brothers Dickey Betts & Great Southern
Joe Brown
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Freak Mountain Ramblers Steve Goodman John Hartford Rodney Hayden Billy Helm Hurricane Sam Stonewall Jackson JimBob Convoy The Juleps Lazy Cowgirls Chris LeDoux The Lewis Family
Jerry Lee Lewis
The Metroschifter
Dallas Moore
Radio Sweethearts
Ratso and Jesse Rattlesnake Annie Reckless Kelly Gamble Rogers Secret Seldom Scene
Eddy Shaver
The Skeeters Sons of the Pioneers Marc Steczyk and Karl Hinson Red Stegall Jerry Jeff Walker Jackson Taylor Mary Welch Keith Whitley Widespread Panic Robin & Linda Williams
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thanks to the Shaver fans for the help
copyright 2002 billy joe shaver