Billy Joe Shaver’s Final Performance
It’s almost eerie how when it comes to the death of certain country legends, circumstances and premonitions align in a way that makes it seem like they knew something way before the rest of us did. It’s partly because so much of country music is about addressing mortality, and trying to make sense of the heartbreak felt when someone passes. From “When The Circle Be Unbroken,” to “Go Rest High on That Mountain,” to “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” country music was made for remembering people in their passing. But there also might be something deeper at work as well.
Such was the case for Billy Joe Shaver, who died on October 28th after suffering a massive stroke at the age of 81. Though Shaver is arguably best known for all those songs Waylon Jennings covered on his 1973 landmark record Honky Tonk Heroes, real Billy Joe Shaver fans know that his signature song is “Live Forever,” co-written with his son Eddy.
The song holds special significance since Eddy passed away on New Year’s Eve in 2000. Eddy Shaver wasn’t just Billy Joe’s son. He was a well-respected guitar player who along with being Billy Joe’s right hand man, played with Dwight Yoakam, Waylon Jennings, and others during his brief career. He died at the age of 39. Billy Joe always brought up his son before playing “Live Forever.”
Over the last few years, guitar player Jeremy Lynn Woodall had stepped up into that spot once occupied by Eddy as both Billy Joe’s guitar player, and also right hand man, helping to keep Shaver on the road, and his legacy in the spotlight during the later portions of his life and career.
Like so many performers, Billy Joe Shaver was sidelined for most of 2020 due to COVID-19, but in April Jeremy Lynn Woodall stopped by Billy Joe Shaver’s house to record a video of him and Billy Joe playing a performance for a local radio station. Recorded in Billy Joe’s kitchen, it was the country legend’s final performance. Only appropriate it was a rendition of “Live Forever.”
“Just like the songs I leave behind me, I’m gonna live forever now…”
November 7, 2020 @ 12:00 pm
RIP… powerful. Thank you for sharing.
November 7, 2020 @ 4:02 pm
Also eerie…The morning of Billy Joe’s death, I was thinking about Jerry Jeff and wondering who would be next. Casually thought to myself, Billy Joe Shaver.
November 7, 2020 @ 12:01 pm
The old chunk of coal is finally a diamond and he really is gonna live forever with our Lord!
You just can’t beat Jesus Christ and as far as songwriters go, you just can’t beat Billy Joe!
November 7, 2020 @ 12:10 pm
Am I missing something? — I don’t see a link to the video.
November 7, 2020 @ 12:20 pm
Are you not in North America? Do you not have a Facebook account? Might be why it’s not showing up for you. Not really sure.
November 7, 2020 @ 12:32 pm
I am in North America but I closed my Facebook account (due to its political and privacy issues). Anywhere else I can get it?
November 7, 2020 @ 1:29 pm
Not that I know of unfortunately. It would be up to Jeremy Lynn Woodall to post it somewhere else.
November 7, 2020 @ 9:10 pm
Try MeWe
November 7, 2020 @ 12:50 pm
Priceless! What a beautiful good bye! Billy Joe, with that beard and that smile, singing his farewell and wishing God’s blessing on the world he leaves behind. Thanks again, Billy Joe. Thanks to Jeremy Lynn for capturing this and thanks, Trig, for all you do always.
November 7, 2020 @ 1:25 pm
Awesome. Thank you
November 7, 2020 @ 2:50 pm
Billy Joe Shaver was one of a kind. I had the pleasure of meeting him and getting to spend some time together in Tulsa in 2014. We soon learned we had a couple of things in common loss of children and our choice of attorneys, but the most important things we had in common was our lifestyle and love for our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. He had at the time recorded ” If You Don’t Love Jesus Go To Hell” which in Billy’s own way said it all. RIP my friend see you there. I’m Going to Live Forever thru the song’s you’ve left behind you until I cross that river. It was a honor and great pleasure to have shared a few moments o you’re life. RIP
November 7, 2020 @ 4:22 pm
You showed up at the top of my Google fu. 10+ years? Good on you!
November 7, 2020 @ 6:15 pm
God Bless BJS. He left us with songs and many memories. You can see the love of others in his eyes. Such a great human being.
November 7, 2020 @ 7:29 pm
Wonderful song.
Preacher.
November 7, 2020 @ 10:50 pm
Billy Joe’s voice still sounded pretty good back in April.
I’m glad I got to see/hear him with Eddy back in the ’90s and again at the City Winery in the last decade.
November 8, 2020 @ 10:10 am
Thanks for sharing that Trigger! Much appreciated.
November 8, 2020 @ 10:44 am
Nothing better than a country song and an acoustic guitar. Saved the best for last.
November 8, 2020 @ 11:28 am
Holy crap that sends chills up my spine, sitting at work crying like a baby. What a simple song that has such power to it. Billy Joe will in fact live forever to me.
November 8, 2020 @ 12:19 pm
Real shit right there.
November 8, 2020 @ 3:27 pm
The music of Billy Joe Shaver is like drinking a fresh cup of cool mountain spring water. It quenches your thirst and makes you feel alive like never before. There’s nothing else like it. R.I.P. A legend. Everybody’s brother.
November 9, 2020 @ 3:49 am
RIP Hero
November 9, 2020 @ 8:00 am
This makes IPhones and the internet all worthwhile. What a treasure. Thank you.
November 9, 2020 @ 10:29 pm
Beautiful
November 10, 2020 @ 12:45 pm
I wonder what radio station they were doing that for .. anybody know?
November 10, 2020 @ 9:14 pm
Billy Joe, You was a great friend and singer, songwriter and husband, Dad and brother, Uncle, cousin and much more! I’m so glad I get to call you my friend, I loved every performance I went to and you made sure that I got a shirt and always had me hold it on my chest so you could sign it for me! It was always great fun being around you at the van a getting my CD’s signed and hugging and always taking pictures with me! I made you a Collage for your 70th birthday and presented it to you at the Firehouse Saloon in Houston, Texas! May you finally cross that river and live forever now! When the fallen Angels fly high! Rest in peace my Old Chunk of coal your a Diamond today! God bless Jeremy Lynn Woodall and Nick and your closest gang!!! See you in heaven BJS!???????? Jeff and Ramona
November 11, 2020 @ 7:04 am
https://youtu.be/IP0Y2LfES7I
November 15, 2020 @ 11:55 am
The Country Crusader
March 17, 2021 @ 7:15 am
In 1983 I was a young prizefighter. When a sparring partner was a no show for knock-out artist Earnie Shavers I jumped a the chance and gloved up.Read how this one act led to co-writing with one of countrys musics most famos outlaws, Billy Joe Shaver.If you believe in devine intervention read our story in the Nashville Music Guide. Remembering Billy Joe Shaver by Ken Boutwell.See you on the other side my friend.