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Live From SXSW
With Billy Joe Shaver
Singer, Songwriter
Thursday, March 13, 2003; 2 p.m. ET
One of country music’s songwriting legends, Billy Joe Shaver has had a remarkable if idiosyncratic career, penning songs for everyone from Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings to Elvis Presley and the Allman Brothers.
In the past three years, the 63-year-old Texan has lost his mother and wife to cancer and his son and musical partner, Eddy, to a drug overdose. Last year, Shaver responded to those sad events with "Freedom's Child," an album of unfailing consolation, at turns tender, funny and moving. A reflection on a lifetime of hardship and reward, struggle and sweet victory, it is country music clean to the bone at its gritty, thoughtful best and certainly one of last year’s finest country albums.
Shaver joins washingtonpost.com music editor Joe Heim on Thursday, March 13 at 2 p.m. ET, live from Austin, Tex. where he will perform at the annual South-by-Southwest Music Conference.
Submit your questions and comments before or during today's discussion.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Joe Heim:
Hello everyone and thanks for joining us today. We're thrilled to have Billy Joe Shaver with us as our guest here in Austin, Texas where he'll perform tonight at the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference. And last night at the Austin Music Awards, Lucinda Williams and Willie Nelson surprised Billy Joe by announcing his inductment into the Austin Music Hall of Fame. OK, let's get to the questions.
Whiting, Iowa:
Billy Joe, please tell us the story behind your song "Deja Blues" on your c.d. "Freedom's Child."
Billy Joe Shaver: Todd Snider and I were running around in Nashville and stopped to have a beer at this place run by two
Texans. And they're rednecks, real rednecks. Todd's girlfriend was supposed to call him at the bar and Todd walked towards the phone. The old boy behind the bar said don't answer that. Todd kept walking toward the phone and the guy said emphatically, don't answer that. Todd just keeps on going and picks up the phone and the guy said I thought I told you not to answer that damn phone. And Todd said, "but dude." And the guy came out from behind the bar with a sawed off shotgun. He was hopping mad. I said Todd, just keep your mouth shut. It got really scary. I told the guys behind the bar Todd didn't know what he was talking ab out and the song had a lot to do with that. We got out of there alive, anyway. It scared Todd half to death.
Washington, D.C.:
Mr. Shaver, one of my favorite albums happen to be Honky Tonk Heroes, sung by Waylon. On that particular song, he put some up-tempo rhythm to that song, actually three different tempos. Then I heard your version of it, also phenomenal but totally different. Did you have any aversion to his changing some styles to your songs? I gather you played a part in his album of your songs. What was that like? The album cover looks like one big party. Es correcto?
Billy Joe Shaver: Waylon and I fought a lot during that albums. We fussed and cussed about that. On Honky Tonk Heroes, the phrasing was different than he was used to. Then he put the tail end thing on there and that surprised me and delighted me as well because I liked it. Waylon was really a genius producer. It's a wonder he didn't kill me. I deserved it.
Providence, Rhode Island:
Will you do any shows out in the northeast?
Billy Joe Shaver: Of course. I'm trying to do shows everywhere I can. When you're like me you're not quite as popular as the rest of them. You need to have a few shows lined up or you can't afford to do it. Buy some more records and make me more popular and then I'll come and see you. I apologize for not getting up there but a lot of times it's just cause I can't afford to get out there. Hopefully, that'll change soon.
Herndon, Va:
Mr. Shaver: "country" music and the blues often intermix. To you, what are the differences?
Billy Joe Shaver: That's a good one. Not a lot. Some of my songs actually blend the two. The two dance so close together it's hard to tell them apart sometime. Micky Newberry told me once 'you're not fooling me, rock and roll aint nothing but the blues with a beat." I think that blues really is the heart of rock and roll and country, even though some people wouldn't want to admit it. Blues comes from the old folk stuff. And blues has been here since god knows when. Not to take anything away from country, I love country. Being a white boy, I try to sing the blues as good as I can.
Joe Heim:
Your most recent record, "Freedom's Child" was the first one you recorded in many, many years without your son. What was it like to be in the studio and working on the songs without him there?
Billy Joe Shaver: Before I went in I told everyone I wanted to do it very quickly and we went so fast at it that I didn't have time to think about it. It was easier than I thought it would be to tell you the truth. We did the record in about a week. Set some kind of record. A time or two there I got really emotional about it, but he got him a better gig. He's in better shape. I'm looking forward to seeing him again.
Mt. Lebanon PA:
Back in the early/mid '50s when I was a youngster in Texas - Corpus, Waco, Ft. Worth - folks sometimes called me a little shaver. I've often wondered about that. Do you think you and I could be related? Have a good 'un. Thanks much. HLB
Billy Joe Shaver: Ha,ha. That's a term that a lot of people used. "back when he was a little shaver" I don't know why. Maybe just a shaving off the tree. It's just a saying that comes kind of from down here in Texas.
Lemonade Springs:
I've been a fan for years, since old Five & Dimers, and I would like to thank you! Does anybody in the entire country play your music on the radio? And your thoughts on what a national tragedy that is ...? thanks
Billy Joe Shaver: I hope that changes. I don't know, I just don't know. My album has been on the Americana charts at #1 for eight weeks so somebody is playing it somewhere. I haven't heard it on the radio, but then I don't listen to the radio much.
Omaha, Neb.:
If you had one favorite place to play,
and one song to sing, and one person to sing
it to, where would it be? What would be the
song? And who would be listening? By the way,
you're the best.
Billy Joe Shaver: Goodness gracious. That'd be in Heaven to Jesus Christ and "Old Five and Dimers" would be the song.
Elkton, Md.:
Do you always play with a band or do you sometimes plays solo? Which do you like better?
Billy Joe Shaver: I sometimes play solo. I like solo real well. I like them both. A lot of times when I'm playing with a band, I'll depart from them and just do several by myself. I do a lot of a capella things too. Or Acapulco, that's what I call em.
Washington, D.C.:
I really love your last two records, but I don't really know what albums you had before that. If I like the last two, which of your other records should I get. Do you think these new records are your best?
Billy Joe Shaver: They are starting to look that way, but if I were you I would get "Tramp On Your Street" from 1992 on Volcano Records and I'd also get "Electric Shaver" on New West.
Kyle, South Dakota:
Your music is bringing comfort and joy to my life- I am going to Texas in June-July (Houston) to catch a show. I read in an interview you brought 500 songs to the FREEDOM'S CHILD sessions? How did you write 500 songs for one session?
Billy Joe Shaver: They were already written, a lot of them. About four or five songs I wrote while in the studio like "That's What She Said Last Night" "Day by Day" and "Wild Cow Gray" which I finished in the studio.
Lyme, Conn.:
What can you tell us about Elvis? How many times did you meet Mr. Presley, and what was he like towards you?
Billy Joe Shaver: I met Elvis the day I turned 17 in Dallas Texas. I had just joined the Navy and he was getting on a plane. August 16, 1956 and he died on my birthday too. He was on a plane and guys I knew said he was a really nice guy. Later he recorded one of my songs "Long Ago and Far Away." But he was already dead before I knew he had recorded it.
Buffalo Grove, Illinois:
What is it about Texas that produces so many great songwriters?
Billy Joe Shaver: Well, its an awful big state.
Uranus,PA:
we all died a little a bit along with eddie..
we miss him and live on with his past recordings and the limited amount of bootlegs available. Is there any recorded tracks left to finish with his legacy on them?
the interesting thing is my Dad was the one who turned me on to you guys...he always did have the better music collection.
God Bless
tom
Billy Joe Shaver: Yeah, there's a lot of things of Eddie's that I'm going to dive into here soon. He had an album out in France called "Baptism By Fire." It's strange because it was all about New York and it was written years and years before Sept. 11 but it seemed so closely related. I'm thinking of taking that album and going back and doing a duet with him. Although he sings so good, I might ought just leave it alone. There's a track on the end of my current album which is just Eddie singing "Necessary Evil" by himself.
Springfield, VA:
Have you ever written any songs for George Jones?
Billy Joe Shaver: George Jones did "Tramp on Your Street." He did a good job on it too.
Magnolia, Texas:
Billy Joe, How did it feel to be inducted to the Hall of Fame last night?
Billy Joe Shaver: It felt great.
Houston, TX:
You work with a lot of musical friends (Kinky Friedman, Willie, Todd Snider, etc.). Who are some of your favorite songwriters?
Billy Joe Shaver: Actually, to tell you the truth, Kinky Friedman. He's actually a really good songwriter. He's also a genius, which makes him hard to get along with. Makes you want to kill him everyday.
Raymond CA:
I read from time to time that you're thinking of putting out a book of poems. Are you thinking of putting one out and if so when?
Billy Joe Shaver: Yeah, just when I get time. I've got trunks full of poems. I thought I'd leave them for my family, because we all thought I was going to be the one to go first, but now there's nobody left but me and my two pit bulls, so I guess I'm gonna have to do something with them.
South Wales, UK:
Hey Billy,
Just wanted you to know that we saw you on National TV in the UK on Saturday! What a treat. We are all so proud of your success lately. It's way overdue for you to get the recognition you have deserved for so long. Do you think fame is going to change you? LOL.
Billy Joe Shaver: Too late now.
Silver Spring, Md.:
What's the best song you've ever written and why'd you write it.
Billy Joe Shaver: Wow. I guess I've always heard that songs are like children and you loved the buck toothed ones just as much as the other ones, so I can't actually say without hurting the other ones feelings. Even the buck toothed ones. Maybe I can get some braces for them.
Watauga TX:
When will your autobiography be released and is it true you're working on a screenplay with Robert Duvall?
Billy Joe Shaver: They're doing a documentary. Luciana Pedraza, Robert Duvall's girlfriend, is working on it. They've already got 120 minutes edited, so it looks like its going to be fairly long. They're real tickled with it. I'm also writing an autobiography. I don't know when we'll finish that.
Macomb, IL:
I've seen you perform live twice in the past twelve months in Berwyn, IL, and on one of those days I was fortunate enough to chat with you several times. I believe your rapport with your fans, on top of your enormous talent, is what makes you so loved by them. What makes a genius like you such a nice guy?
Billy Joe Shaver: First off I'm not a genius. I'm just a nice guy. Just a common, ordinary person.
Gaithersburg :
Twenty-some years ago, I listened to that album, Honky Tonk Heroes, over and over and over and over and over again. You and Waylon warped me. Thanks, man.
Billy Joe Shaver: That's great. I don't know what else to say. That's wonderful.
mclean, va:
Mr. Shaver, first just to applaud you on all your accomplishments and contributions to music. As an aspiring songwriter, I struggle to find any depth in my lyrics, they all sound forced and contrived. Any thoughts? Thanks!
Billy Joe Shaver: I strive to be simple and simplicity is hard to come by. Don't worry about the depth, because it's often hard to understand. I have a saying, simplicity don't need to be greased. If you are able to do it without getting too deep, you've pretty much got it made. It's hard to write things simple. It's not as easy as people think. It's pretty time consuming.
Somewhere, USA:
I've heard that you have been wearing the same belt buckle since you were 20 years old. Can you tell us more about this special buckle?
Billy Joe Shaver: Yeah, it's real special because my sweetheart Brenda Joyce Tindell Shaver gave it to me when I turned 21 and I've had it ever since. I don't know what I do without it. If I was to lose it I think I'd go crazy. I'm going to make it my logo on t-shirts and things. It's a pretty good little weapon too, if you need it. I've not been separated from it since I first got it.
ATLANTA GA:
I love you in The Apostle. Do you have anymore plans to act??
Billy Joe Shaver: I've played in one movie "Second Hand Lions" just a short piece. Robert Duvall got me in it. I look forward to doing some more movies. Although I guess the documentary is one.
omaha, nebraska:
Billy Joe, is it true you threatened to whup up on ol' Waylon if he didn't record the songs to "Honky Tonk Heroes?"
Billy Joe Shaver: Yeah, that's true. Luckily, he didn't take me up on it. It got him tickled actually. He had a bunch of biker friends with him and I just popped off on him. It was sort of like committing suicide. Little old me against him and all of his biker friends. He stopped them. Waylon was good to me.
Washington DC:
Billy,
Who are your biggest musical heroes? Who did you listen to growing up?
Billy Joe Shaver: I listened to Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff and on the other side of the tracks in where I lived was an African American settlement of cotton pickers and I'd listen to them. I'd go over there every day and listen to them play and my grandmother would come over and drag me back and whoop the living daylights out of me. And also at the Green Gables honky tonk in Waco which is where my mother worked. That just kick-ass country Texas music.
genoa, nebraska:
Can you tell us about the first time you met Harlan Howard?
Billy Joe Shaver: Harlan Howard was a big hero of mine and when I came to Nashville in 1966 and I had a motorcycle and ran it up on to his front porch and through his front door. He came out said who the hell are you. And I said, I'm Billy Joe Shaver, the greatest songwriter who ever lived. He just looked at me and said, "I thought I was." He invited me in and we sat around and drank whiskey and became real good friends.
Methuen, MA:
The title song FREEDOM'S CHILD is an incredible tune- with a great groove, one of the best in years: did you try to pitch this to one of the "mega" "stars" like Garth, Toby or whoever? What is their or their handlers reaction to this album?
Billy Joe Shaver: I don't know what their reaction is but I never pitched that song to anyone. That song was written back in the 60s and published later. It'd be nice if they did, but I don't know how to pitch it to them.
Joe Heim:
Billy Joe, thanks very much for joining us today and congratulations on your record and your new place in Austin's Music Hall of Fame.
Billy Joe Shaver: Thanks so much for caring enough to even mention my name and think about me. The songs are the most important thing. They'll live on after I'm gone. Hopefully they'll find a place in everybody's heart. God bless everybody. May the god of your choice bless you, I mean. Jesus Christ is the one who made us all number 2. Amen
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