Billy Joe Shaver
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Billy Joe Shaver | |
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 Billy Joe Shaver at Eddie's Attic - April 20, 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Billy Joe Shaver |
| Born | August 16, 1939 Corsicana, Texas,[1] United States |
| Genres | Country music, Outlaw country, honky tonk |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument | Acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 1973-present |
| Labels | Columbia, Monument |
| Website | www.billyjoeshaver.com |
Billy Joe Shaver (born August 16, 1939) is a Texas country music singer and songwriter. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.
Biography
Shaver was born in Corsicana, Texas, and raised by his mother, Victory Watson Shaver, his father Virgil having left the family before Billy Joe was born. Until he was 12, he spent a great deal of time with his grandmother in Corsicana, Texas so that his mother could work in Waco. He sometimes accompanied his mother to her job at a local nightclub, where he began to be exposed to country music.[2]
Shaver's mother remarried about the time that his grandmother died, so he and his older sister Patricia moved in with their mother and new stepfather. Shaver left school after the eighth grade to help his uncles pick cotton, but occasionally returned to school to play sports.[3]
Shaver joined the U.S. Navy on his seventeenth birthday. Upon his discharge, he worked a series of dead-end jobs, including trying to be a rodeo cowboy. About this time, he met and married Brenda Joyce Tindell. They had one son, John Edwin, known as Eddy, who was born in 1962. The two divorced and remarried several times.[3]
Shaver took a job at a lumber mill to make ends meet. One day his right hand (his dominant hand) became caught in the machinery, and he lost the better part of two fingers and contracted a serious infection. He eventually recovered, and taught himself to play the guitar without those missing fingers.[3]
Shaver set out to hitchhike to Los Angeles, California. He could not get a ride west, and ended up accompanying a man who dropped him off just outside Memphis, Tennessee. The next ride brought him to Nashville, where he found a job as a songwriter for $50 per week.[2] His work came to the attention of Waylon Jennings, who filled most of his album Honky Tonk Heroes with Shaver's songs. Other artists, including Elvis Presley and Kris Kristofferson, began to record Shaver's music. This led to his own record deal.
The first few recording companies he signed with soon folded.[2] He was never able to gain widespread recognition as a singer, although he never stopped recording his own music. On his records, he has been accompanied by other major rock and country music musicians like Willie Nelson, Nanci Griffith, Chuck Leavell and Dickey Betts (of the Allman Brothers), Charlie Daniels, Flaco Jiménez, and Al Kooper.
After losing his wife, Brenda, and his mother to cancer in 1999, Shaver lost his son and longtime guitarist Eddy, who died at age 38 of a heroin overdose on December 31, 2000. Shaver nearly died himself the following year when he had a heart attack on stage during an Independence Day show at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas. After successful heart surgery, Shaver came back to release Freedom's Child in 2002.
In 1999, Shaver performed at the Grand Ole Opry. In November 2005, he performed on the CMT Outlaws 2005. In 2006, Shaver was inducted in the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. He later served as spiritual advisor to Texas independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman. For his efforts, the Americana Music Convention awarded him their Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting.[4] He currently lives in Waco, Texas.
Bob Dylan mentioned Shaver in his song "I Feel a Change Comin' On" (Bob Dylan and Robert Hunter) on the album, Together Through Life (2009) - "I'm listening to Billy Joe Shaver, And I'm reading James Joyce". Shaver is also the "hero" of the song, "Wish I Could Write Like Billy Joe" on the album "Stormy Love" by Bugs Henderson.
Shaver sings the themes to the Adult Swim Television show, Squidbillies. The opening themes, collectively called "Warrior Man", are only a stanza long and end with a sotto voce spoken word portion.
Most notable records
Shaver's debut album, Old Five and Dimers Like Me (1973), contained many songs noted for being performed by other artists such as David Allan Coe and Waylon Jennings. When I Get My Wings (1976) included "Aint No God In Mexico" (also a hit for Waylon Jennings). Gypsy Boy (1977) included "Honky Tonk Heroes" and "You Asked Me To".
Shaver is also known for his hit "Live Forever", co-written by his son Eddy, Robert Duvall performs it in the movie Crazy Heart and it is included in the soundtrack. The song was also performed by The Highwaymen and Joe Ely. Shaver also wrote numerous songs for artists such as Patty Loveless and Willie Nelson.
Shaver continued to release records throughout the 1980s and 1990s; the most notable was the critically acclaimed Tramp On Your Street, released in 1993, which prominently featured the guitar playing of Eddy Shaver.
Shaver's 2007 album country gospel style Everybody's Brother was Grammy-nominated. Many of the songs are duets with artists such as Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson and Tanya Tucker. Musicians playing on the album included Randy Scruggs, Laura Cash and Marty Stuart.
On May 22, 2014, Rolling Stone premiered the single-duet with Willie Nelson "Hard To Be An Outlaw".[5] The album, Long In The Tooth was released on August 5, 2014 by Lightning Rod Records.[6] After a 41-year career, Long in the Tooth became Billy Joe Shaver's first album to chart in Billboard's Top Country Albums, entering the chart at 19.[7] The album also entered the Billboard 200, peaking at 157.[8]
Shooting in Lorena, Texas
On April 2, 2007, police in Lorena, Texas, issued two arrest warrants for Shaver on charges of aggravated assault and possessing a firearm in a prohibited place. This was in connection with an incident outside a tavern, Papa Joe's Texas Saloon in Lorena only two days prior, on March 31, in which Shaver shot a man, Billy Bryant Coker, in the face with a handgun. Coker's injuries, however, were not reported as life-threatening.
Witnesses interviewed by police report hearing Shaver say "where do you want it?" and then, after the shot was fired, "Tell me you are sorry" and "No one tells me to shut up." Coker told police the attack was unprovoked. Shaver's attorney declared that Shaver had shot Coker "in self-defense" after Coker threatened Shaver with a knife.[9]
In an August 2014 NPR interview, Shaver said that he shot Coker because he was "Such a bully" and that "I hit him right between a mother and a fucker. That was the end of that. He dropped his weapons and said, 'I'm sorry.' And I said, 'Well, if you had said that inside, there would have been no problem.' "[1]
After unsuccessfully attempting to surrender to police in Austin, TX, who were unaware of the warrant, Shaver turned himself in at McLennan County Jail in Waco, TX on Tuesday, April 3. He was released after an hour on $50,000 bond and gave his scheduled performance at Waterloo Records in Austin that evening,[10][11] where he reportedly told fans, "Don't forget to pray for me, and tell your kids to pray for me, too."
He was acquitted in a Waco court on April 9, 2010 after testifying that he acted in self-defense.[12][13]
The Texas-based country musician, Dale Watson, wrote a song about the incident titled "Where Do You Want It?". The song has been recorded by Whitey Morgan and the 78's and appears on their self-titled sophomore album, released via Bloodshot Records.[14]
Acting
In 1996, Shaver took a part in the movie The Apostle, playing opposite Robert Duvall. He had additional speaking roles in the Duvall film Secondhand Lions (2003) and in The Wendell Baker Story (2005).
In 2004, a documentary of his life, A Portrait of Billy Joe was released. The documentary was directed by Luciana Pedraza.
In 2006, a documentary of a concert, Billy Joe Shaver - North Carolina 2006 was released on YouTube along with a limited number of DVDs. The documentary was directed by Guy Schwartz, whom Eddie Shaver listed as a musical mentor, and shot at The Stephens Center at The North Carolina School For The Arts in Winston-Salem, NC.
In 2008, he co-starred with Bill Engvall and Billy Ray Cyrus in the made for TV USA Network Movie, Bait Shop.
In 2016 he had a cameo in Still The King Starring Billy Ray Cyrus.
Discography
Studio and live albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Label | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | US Heat | US Indie | US Christ | |||
| 1973 | Old Five and Dimers Like Me | — | — | — | — | — | Monument |
| 1976 | When I Get My Wings | — | — | — | — | — | Capricorn |
| 1977 | Gypsy Boy | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1981 | I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1982 | Billy Joe Shaver | — | — | — | — | — | Columbia |
| 1987 | Salt of the Earth | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1993 | Tramp on Your Street | — | — | — | — | — | Volcano |
| 1995 | Unshaven: Live at Smith's Olde Bar | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1996 | Highway of Life | — | — | — | — | — | Justice |
| 1998 | Victory | — | — | — | — | — | New West |
| 1999 | Electric Shaver | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | The Earth Rolls On | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2002 | Freedom's Child | — | — | — | — | — | Compadre |
| 2003 | Live from Down Under | — | — | — | — | — | Sphincter |
| Try and Try Again | — | — | — | — | — | Compadre | |
| 2004 | Billy and the Kid | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2005 | A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver: Live | — | — | — | — | — | |
| The Real Deal | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007 | Storyteller: Live at the Bluebird | — | — | — | — | — | Sugar Hill |
| Everybody's Brother | — | — | — | — | 50 | Compadre | |
| 2012 | Live at Billy Bob's Texas | — | — | — | — | — | Smith Music Group |
| Live from Austin, TX: Austin City Limits | — | — | — | — | — | New West | |
| 2014 | Long in the Tooth | 19 | 157 | 4 | 23 | — | Lightning Rod |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||
Compilations
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Honky Tonk Heroes (Capricorn label compilation) | Bear Family |
| 1995 | Restless Wind (1973 - 1987) | Razor & Tie |
| 2007 | Greatest Hits | Compadre |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1973 | "I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train" | 88 | Old Five and Dimers Like Me | |
| 1978 | "You Asked Me To" | 80 | Gypsy Boy | |
| 1993 | "Live Forever" | 96 | Tramp on Your Street | |
| 2011 | "Wacko from Waco"[15] | Live at Billy Bob's Texas | ||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "The Hottest Thing in Town" | Steve Mims |
| "Live Forever"[16] | Steve Boyle | |
| 1994 | "Georgia On a Fast Train"[17] | Chris Rogers |
| 1996 | "Comin' On Strong" | |
| 2002 | "Freedom's Child" | |
| 2005 | "Live Forever"[18] | Rick Schroder |
| 2007 | "Get Thee Behind Me Satan"[19] | The Brads |
References
- ^ a b c Greene, David (5 August 2014). "Billy Joe Shaver Writes Country Songs — And Lives Them, Too". NPR Morning Edition. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- ^ a b c "The Christian Life". Austinchronicle.com. 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ a b c [1] Archived December 30, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Billy Joe Shaver". Puremusic.com. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ Hudak, Joseph (May 22, 2014). "Hear Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver's 'Outlaw' Duet - Premiere". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ "Outlaw Legend Billy Joe Shaver to Release New Album". Radio.com. CBS Radio, Inc. May 22, 2014.
- ^ "Billy Joe Shaver's 41 Year Journey to the Top 20". Music Times. Music Times, LLC. August 22, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ "Billy Joe Shaver Charts for the First Time Ever with "Long In The Tooth"". Saving Country Music. Savingcountrymusic.com. August 15, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
- ^ "Affidavit" (PDF). Alt.coxnewsweb.com. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
- ^ Arrest Warrant Issued For Billy Joe Shaver
- ^ [2] Archived April 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Country Singer Shaver Acquitted in Texas Shooting New York Times (requires reg. to verify)
- ^ Country Weekly.com published April 14, 2010 by Bob Paxman Archived April 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Billy Joe Shaver Acquitted in Shooting
- ^ "Whitey Morgan and the 78's". Bloodshot Records. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
- ^ The Triggerman (February 8, 2011). "Billy Joe Shaver & Willie Nelson Release Wacko From Waco". savingcountrymusic.com. Retrieved 2011-08-30.
- ^ "CMT : Videos : Shaver : Live Forever". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ "CMT : Videos : Shaver : Georgia On A Fast Train". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ "CMT : Videos : Billy Joe Shaver : Live Forever". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ "CMT : Videos : Billy Joe Shaver : Get Thee Behind Me Satan". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
External links
- Official Website
- Interview on Lone Star Music
- Interview on Fresh Air (RealAudio)
- At Rolling Stone magazine
- At Starpulse
- Interview At Twang Nation
- Interview on NPR Morning Edition, 5 August, 2014
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