Charlie sexton describes the dark business of playing townes van. The film maker goes to austin and visits townes van zandt at his trailer at what is now 11th and charlotte in the clarksville neighborhood of downtown austin and his girlfriend cindy, his dog geraldine, rex. Townes van zandts version of country sings to me in a way no other country music ever has. He was married to jeanene munselle, cindy and fran petters. The soundtrack to the 2004 townes van zandt documentary film be here to love me, featuring highlights from van zandts catalogue alongside live excerpts and audio excerpts from the movie. With joe ely, guy clark, willie nelson, kris kristofferson. Van zandt expedited his selfdestruction with an addiction. Mar 07, 2019 far from a far cry from dead, that polished product of posthumous overkill from the tail end of the millennium, sky blue allows the songs of townes van zandt 19441997 to sit and breathe free from distraction or squash. He is an actor, known for the sopranos 1999, lilyhammer 2012 and nine months 1995. After a number of shortlived compilations, it seems that the best of townes van zandt is finally going to be the album that definitively represents van zandts classic tomato recordings. A film about townes van zandt, margaret browns seminal 2004 documentary on the texas songwriter, van. Townes van zandt 19441997 townes van zandt was born on march 7, 1944 in fort worth, texas, usa.
Looking back on 15 years of the townes van zandt documentary. Townes van zandt was born on march 7, 1944 in fort worth, texas, usa. In one theres a whiskey bottle, in the other a coke can. This 95minute documentary follows guy clark, susanna clark, and townes van zandt as they rise from obscurity to reverence. Hawke agreed that it would be a daunting task to play van zandt, so sexton replied well, i guess that means were supposed to do it. When asked about his inspiration for the track, van zandt gave a typically cryptic answer. The late townes van zandt was the kind of artist who is always more. But whereas a fellow tippler like singer guy clark fondly remembers the good times, van zandts family tells a different story. Much of van zandts musical canonsongs such as pancho and lefty, read more.
He is best known as a member of bruce springsteen s e street band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. A film about townes van zandt 2004 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Born in fort worth, texas into a wealthy family, van zandt was a thirdgreatgrandson of isaac van zandt a prominent leader of the republic of texas and a second greatnephew of khleber miller van zandt a major in the confederate army and one of the founders of fort worth townes s parents were harris williams van zandt 191966 and dorothy townes 19191983. The book contains interviews with longtime van zandt friends guy clark, billy joe shaver, ray wylie hubbard, kris kristofferson. This is the saddest movie, about a guy wrote perfect songs every word, every note, perfection. He died on january 1, 1997 in smyrna, tennessee, usa. From the opening notes of the first cut, be here to love me, one is reminded that, at his best as he mostly is here, townes van zandt was an american songwriter in the same league as woody guthrie, hank williams, and merle haggard though stylistically. On the plus side, it is generally agreed that van zandts music is best heard in an intimate acoustic setting, and the best of townes van zandt leans. See charlie sexton as townes van zandt in ethan hawkes new film blaze. Sep 04, 2018 charlie sexton, on the other hand, actually knew foley, which gave him special insight into playing the musicians friend and fellow revered songwriter townes van zandt in ethan hawkes superb. John townes van zandt march 7, 1944 january 1, 1997, better known as townes van zandt, was a critically acclaimed american singersongwriter.
Dec 02, 2005 filmmaker margaret brown, a longtime fan of townes van zandt, examines both his life and his art in the documentary be here to love me. John townes van zandt, better known as townes van zandt, was an american singersongwriter. Sep, 2004 as a musician, townes van zandt was legendary perhaps one of the greatest who ever lived, inspiring a range of artists from bob dylan to norah jones to steve earle. Determined to be a success, townes eventually had a hit.
From the opening notes of the first cut, be here to love me, one is reminded that, at his best as he mostly is here, townes van zandt was an american songwriter in the same league as woody guthrie, hank williams, and merle haggard though stylistically he owed more to the first of these than the latter two. As a musician, townes van zandt was legendary perhaps one of the greatest who ever lived, inspiring a range of artists from bob dylan to norah jones to steve earle. He is best known as a member of bruce springsteens e street band, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. Townes van zandt, 52, a singer and songwriter who wrote the country hits if i needed you and pancho and lefty and gained a cult following for his bluesinspired recordings about lifes losers. Blaze foley is the kind of artist beloved by musicians but not wellknown to the general publicwho is often discovered after a fall down the rabbit hole. Oct 05, 2010 townes van zandt, 2012 texas heritage songwriters association hall of fame inductee duration. He wrote numerous songs, such as pancho and lefty, for the sak. See charlie sexton as townes van zandt in ethan hawkes. Townes van zandt is the third studio album by the american singersongwriter townes van zandt, released in september 1969 by poppy records. Notes the pressing plant is uncredited, it is identified from the runouts.
Be here to love me details these events through various interviews with van zandt himself, as well as nelson, harris, steve earle, nanci griffith, and other notables. Charlie sexton, on the other hand, actually knew foley, which gave him special insight into playing the musicians friend and fellow revered songwriter townes van zandt in ethan hawkes superb. Filmmaker margaret brown, a longtime fan of townes van zandt, examines both his life and his art in the documentary be here to love me. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. When ethan hawke asked musician charlie sexton to play townes van zandt in his film blaze, about the life and death of cult. Born into wealth, townes was an outsider from the getgo. The songwriting legacy of townes van zandt by brian t. Singersongwriter townes van zandt was at the center of austins outlaw country scene in the 1970s, but, while friends like waylon jennings and steve earle went on to mainstream stardom, the.
I realize that i wrote it, he said, but its hard to take credit for the writing, because it came from out of the blue. See charlie sexton as townes van zandt in ethan hawkes blaze. Based on the diaries of susanna clark and tamara saviano s 2016 book without getting killed or caught. A documentary portrait of townes van zandt, the ultimate songwriters songwriter who had a profound impact on generations of musicians. It came through me and its a real nice song and, i think, ive finally found out. The late townes van zandt was the kind of artist who is always more famous dead than alive. Far from a far cry from dead, that polished product of posthumous overkill from the tail end of the millennium, sky blue allows the songs of townes van zandt 19441997 to sit and breathe free from distraction or squash. Learn about townes van zandt including past and current movies, upcoming movies, and celebrity news at. Here, you can see townes van zandt, guy clark, a young steve earle, david allan coe and many more,in a informal and relaxed way. Stream townes van zandt on amazon music unlimited now. He is also known for his roles on television drama series, such as silvio dante on the sopranos 19992007 and. With an understated voice that quietly overflowed with melancholy, humor, and insight, townes van zandt was an icon of american songwriting. A film about townes van zandt movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. Jan 08, 2012 townes van zandt playing a medley of his hit.
Born in fort worth texas, he was a country western guitarist, singer and songwriter. He has been married to maureen van zandt since december 31, 1982. Our mother the mountain is the second album by country singersongwriter townes van zandt, released in 1969. Jan 04, 2017 outtakes from heartworn highways showcasing the one and only townes van zandt. The soundtrack to the 2004 townes van zandt documentary film be here to love me, featuring highlights from van zandt s catalogue alongside live excerpts and audio excerpts from the movie.
It is considered to be one of his greatest recordings and features some of his best known works, including be here to love me, snake mountain blues and our mother the mountain. Outtakes from heartworn highways showcasing the one and only townes van zandt. I edited out songs and added a little compression to boost. Townes van zandt s version of country sings to me in a way no other country music ever has. Be here to love me a film about townes van zandt margaret. Townes van zandt, 2012 texas heritage songwriters association hall of fame inductee duration. Steve earle offered to stand on bob dylans coffee table in my cowboy boots to declare him the worlds greatest songwriter.
If you get a chance to see it or listen to his music, please do. The film includes interviews of van zandt s immediate family and contemporaries such as willie nelson, kris kristofferson, emmylou harris, lyle lovett. Clinical depression steered the ragged course as did his appetite for drugs and alcohol. The ballad of the late, great townes van zandt, the bad feelings had been festering ever since clement had requested that van zandt alter a potentially offensive line in the song tecumseh valley for the singers debut album for the sake of the song back in 1968, and that by 1974. The beginning of the movie shows larry jon wilson in a recording studio, awakened for the movie after an evening of postgig debauchery. According to john kruths 2007 biography to lives to fly. B orn march 7, 1944, in fort worth, texas, singersongwriter john townes van zandt is the perfect example of an artist whose legend only grows with time.
Listen to your favorite songs from townes van zandt. A film about townes van sandt and begs to ask the question, what would you sacrifice to follow your dream. Steven van zandt was born on november 22, 1950 in winthrop, massachusetts, usa as steven lento. A film about townes van zandt on dvd march 14, 2006 starring steve earle, emmylou harris, kris kristofferson, willie nelson. Artists, as diverse as emmylou harris and the meat puppets, have recorded his songs. His songs would become hits for other artists, but substance abuse issues, problems with record labels, and general hard luck saw him spending the majority of his life as a cult figure at best, drifting across the world playing tiny rooms up until his. But whereas a fellow tippler like singer guy clark fondly remembers the good times, van zandt s family tells a different story. The man, the music, the movie the ballad of townes. Even if viewers know nothing about townes van zandt going into margaret browns be here to love me, one early shot will tell them a lot. A beautifully complex portrait of townes van zandt, who wrote some of the most heartbreaky flower childaltcowboy songs ever recorded. The best of townes van zandt tomato townes van zandt. In archival footage from the early 70s, van zandt jokes with friends in a slow, gentle drawl, but his attention keeps shifting to his hands. He began his career in the late 1960s, as a nashville session player and released several albums to include townes van zandt, our mother the mountain and delta momma. A film about townes van zandt is a 2004 documentary film directed by margaret brown which chronicles the often turbulent life of american singersongwriter townes van zandt.
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