Description Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, hounded by alcoholism and unshakable depression, Van Zandt pursued an often nomadic existence on the fringes of society. Along the way, he composed a striking body of work simultaneously heartbreaking in its beauty and terrifying in its willingness to go to the darkest of places. His songs were covered by such artists as Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard (who scored a No. l hit duetting on Van Zandt’s signature tune “Pancho and Lefty”), Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Doc Watson, Nanci Griffith, the Cowboy Junkies, Tindersticks, and Mudhoney.
John Kruth is a songwriter and musician with eight albums to his credit. He is the author of Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rashaan Roland Kirk. He lives in New York City.
“Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I’ll
stand on Bob Dylan’s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that.”—Steve
Earle “Townes Van Zandt was an ornery, unpredictable genius, a songwriter
whose gift offered him salvation and damnation in equal doses. In John Kruth
he has found a biographer well-suited to his eccentricities and rough edges,
a man who understands him and who brings light into his dark places.”—Anthony
DeCurtis, Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone “Townes Van Zandt is one of the most poetic songwriters I can think of
. . . and his songs sing themselves.”—Norah Jones "I think of Townes as the greatest folk songwriter that my native state
of Texas ever gave birth to. Some of us songwriters are just lyricists, but
he was definitely a poet."—Nanci Griffith “With the possible exception of Willie Nelson, no songwriter in his
generation conveys the Texas ID better than Townes Van Zandt.”—Dan
Rather “John Kruth has tracked the back story of Townes Van Zandt like a manic
bloodhound without spoiling the mystery of the man."—Sam Shepard |
