Honky Tonk Heroes

Honky Tonk Heroes
Studio album by Waylon Jennings
Released	July 1973
Recorded	1973
Genre	Country Outlaw country
Length	27:21
Label	RCA Victor
Producer	Waylon Jennings Tompall Glaser
Waylon Jennings chronology
Lonesome, On'ry and Mean (1973) Honky Tonk Heroes (1973) This Time (1974)

Honky Tonk Heroes is an album by Waylon Jennings, released in 1973 on RCA Victor. With the exception of the tenth and final track, all of the songs on the album were originally written or co-written by Billy Joe Shaver, who helped shape Jennings' movement in the direction of outlaw country.

Shaver met Jennings during Willie Nelson's first Fourth of July picnic. Days before the concert, while he was playing guitar and singing, Jennings was impressed by Shaver's original "Willy the Wondering Gypsy and Me". Jennings asked Shaver if he had similar songs, and later offered him recording a complete album with his songs in Nashville. Time after, Shaver was not contacted by Jennings. He went to Nashville, where he tried during six months to contact Jennings who avoided him. Finally he decided to confront Jennings during a recording session, where he told him that he would fight him if he would not listen to his songs. Jennings, surprised by Shaver's courage decided to listen to him. Jennings was impressed by the originals of Shaver and once again he decided to record an entire album.

Jennings' habitual producer, Chet Atkins was reluctant to release a record consisting of songs written by an unknown songwriter. Since one of Jennings demands for the renewal of his recording contract was complete creative control, he decided to produce the album himself with the help of Tompall Glaser. The executives of RCA Records where also reluctant to the release, which was delayed until May 1973. The release of the album was a success, it reached number 14 Billboard's Top Country albums. The singles "You Asked Me To" and "We Had It All" became successful, peaking at number 8 and 28, respectively.

Background

In 1972, songwriter Billy Joe Shaver attended a music festival organized by Willie Nelson, which later became Nelson's annual Fourth of July picnic. Days before the concert, Shaver sat with a group of songwriters performing their songs for each other. When Shaver played one of his originals, "Willy the Wondering Gypsy and Me", Waylon Jennings asked Shaver if he had written that song, and if he had more "cowboy songs" like that one. When Shaver answered that he had more, Jennings said he wanted to do an entire album of those songs, and invited Shaver to record with him in Nashville.

However, Jennings forgot about his offer, and Shaver spent six months trying and failing to get in contact with him. Finally, Shaver decided to confront Jennings at the Music Row headquarters of RCA Records. Thanks to his friendship with a local D.J, Roger "Captain Midnight" Schutt, Shaver found Jennings during a recording session with Chet Atkins. Shaver sent Schutt to tell Jennings Shaver was outside, but Jennings only gave Schutt a one-hundred dollar bill for Shaver. Annoyed and now offended, Shaver refused the money and stayed in the studio for hours waiting for Jennings to come out. Jennings finally left the control room, joined by a couple of bikers, and asked Shaver what he wanted. Shaver reminded him of the album and told him: "I've got those songs, and you're going to listen to them — or I'm going to kick your ass right here in front of God and everybody."

Annoyed, Jennings stopped his entourage from attacking Shaver, and offered to record "Willy the Wondering Gypsy and Me" and to consider other songs. He told Shaver to play one song of his choice, and to continue playing songs if Jennings liked them; but if he did not like the song, Shaver would have to leave. Shaver started playing "Ain't No God in Mexico", followed by "Honky Tonk Heroes" and "Old Five Dimmers and Me". Jennings was so impressed with and excited for the songs, he finally decided to record an album with Shaver.

Recording

By 1973 Atlantic Records was attempting to sign Jennings. Jennings, as fellow country singer Willie Nelson was in discontent with RCA Records for the conservative restrictions of Nashville sound over their music. Nelson, who had signed with Atlantic was rising to popularity. The success of Nelson Persuaded RCA to renegotiate with Jennings before losing another potential success. Waylon Jennings' usual producer Chet Atkins was reluctant to the idea of recording material of an unknown writer, but since he had creative control, Jennings decided to do it. He produced the album himself with the help of Tompall Glaser, cementing Jennings' outlaw image.

For the recording session Jennings replaced the typical studio musicians of Nashville sessions for his band, The Waylors. Jennings and Shaver worked in the album for weeks. Shaver felt that Jennings was not closely following the phrasing of the tunes, and in cases he played the songs over and over, for Jennings to understand. When the album was finished, Jennings proposed to feature in the cover himself in a bar with other people to deliver the essence of the album. In the cover there where featured Jennings, Shaver, Captain Midnight (who also wrote the liner notes for the album) and Bee Spears. The album composed by Shaver originals was entitled as one of the songs Honky Tonk Heroes. It became one of Jennings' first albums recorded and released under his creative control. Jennings only took Atkins' suggestion to add the song "We Had it All", which previously was a top ten single.

Release and Reception

Initially, the executives of RCA records, as Atkins tried to avoid the release of the album. The album was finally released in May 1973, and became an immediate success. It Peaked at number 14 in Billboard's Top Country Albums and at 185 in the Billboard 200. The single "We Had it All" peaked at number 28 in Billboard's Country Singles, while "You Asked Me To" peaked at number 8.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
The Music Journal	Favorable.
Stereo Review	Negative.
Allmusic

The Music Journal wrote: "These can be styled as new cowboy songs and as such barely distinguishable from the works of others in the same vein. Whether any of the songs the ensemble plays will in time become cowboy classics is hard to say; the possibility does exist. Whatever their future fate, the first big impulse comes from this rambunctious release. The program may not be as honky tonk as the title states, but it is certainly brash, lively and down-to-earth. Thoroughly infectious too." Regarding the composition of the songs, Stereo Review wrote: "Billy Joe Shaver songs have him (Jennings) in a corral if not in a box[...]This is like picking Kris Kristofferson up by the literary ankles, shaking him vigorously, and using every damn nugget that tumbles out. Still, the onus is not on Shaver but on the producers—any one or two of the Shaver songs would be fine in a program that otherwise had some variety in it."

Allmusic wrote: "When Waylon Jennings hooked up with songwriter Billy Joe Shaver, he found the perfect author for his obsessions, his fascinations, and his very image. Waylon had always been looking, perhaps unintentionally, for a common ground between country and rock, and Shaver's songs—sketching an outlaw stance with near defiance and borrowing rock attitude to create the hardest country tunes imaginable—were perfect [...] (the) songs were emotional, funny, and clever, utterly bringing the mythic outlaw ethic to life [...] Few country albums have ever been this consistent, and few records, from any genre, have been as consistently compelling. A wonderful album—one that's hard to tire of."

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Billy Joe Shaver, except where noted. 

Side one
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Honky Tonk Heroes"	3:36
2.	"Old Five and Dimers Like Me"	3:06
3.	"Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me"	3:03
4.	"Low Down Freedom"	2:21
5.	"Omaha (Shaver, Hillman Hall)"	2:38

All songs written and composed by Billy Joe Shaver, except where noted. 

Side two
No.	Title	Length
1.	"You Asked Me To (Shaver, Waylon Jennings)"	2:31
2.	"Ride Me Down Easy"	2:38
3.	"Ain't No God in Mexico"	2:00
4.	"Black Rose"	2:29
5.	"We Had It All"	2:44

Bonus tracks

1. "Slow Rollin' Low" – 2:44
2. "You Asked Me To" (Billy Joe Shaver, Waylon Jennings) – 2:38

Chart positions

Album

Chart	Peak position
Billboard Top Country Albums	14
Billboard Top LPs & Tapes	185

Singles

Song	Chart	Peak
"You Asked Me To"	Billboard Hot Country Songs	8
"We Had it All"	Billboard Hot Country Songs	28

References

Bibliography

• Braley, Bethany (2005). "A Fallen Angel Flies". American Cowboy 12 (2). ISSN 1079-3690. 
• Caine, Milton (1973). The Journal Reviews. 31. 
• Glaser, Dennis (2011). Music City's Defining Decade: Stories, Stars, Songwriters & Scoundrels of the 1970's. Xlibris Corporation. ISBN 9781462857678. 
• Reid, Jan (1976). "Who Killed Redneck Rock?". Texas Monthly (Emmis Communications) 4 (12). ISSN 0148-7736. 
• Shaver, Billy Joe; Reagan, Brad (2005). Honky Tonk Heroe. University of Texas Press. ISBN 9780292706132. 
• Worth, Fred; Tamerius, Steve (1992). Elvis: His Life From A to Z. Wings Books. ISBN 978-0517066348. 
• Country Music Foundation (1998). The Journal of Country Music 21. 
• Stereo Review (1974). Popular Discs and Tapes. 32. CBS Magazines.