Jerry Jeff Walker Recovers From Cancer to Release 1st Album in 10 Years “It’s About Time”
Jerry Jeff Walker had a rough 2017, and almost didn’t make it out alive. The 76-year-old was diagnosed with throat Cancer, and then while going through chemotherapy and radiation treatment, developed both pneumonia and a blood infection that was said to be “an understatement to call a setback.” According to Walker, at one point his wife Susan of 45 years asked if he wanted to continue the fight. That is how dire the situation became.
But Jerry Jeff soldiered on, and has since made a full recovery and is Cancer free. After having to cancel many of his shows in the second half of 2017, he’s now got tour dates coming up at Gruene Hall in Texas in May, and is back with his first new album in almost 10 years called It’s About Time.
Available only through his website in CD form at the moment, it features 11 new tracks, six of which were written by Jerry Jeff. Some of the songs fans have been hearing live for a while, including “California Song” about how Jerry Jeff landed in Austin from Upstate New York and never left. The album also includes covers of Guy Clark’s “My Favorite Picture of You,” Red Foley’s “Old Shep,” “South Coast” made famous by The Kingston Trio and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, and others.
It’s About Time was produced by Jerry Jeff and well-known Austin multi-instrumentalist Chris Gage, with Lloyd Maines also appearing on dobro, steel guitar, and uke. It was recorded at MoonHouse Studio in Austin.
Jerry Jeff Walker is known most notably for penning the iconic song “Mr. Bojangles,” was one of the primary catalysts for creating the world-class music scene in Austin, TX that would later launch Willie Nelson and others to superstardom. Though he started his career as mostly a folk artists, records like Walker’s Viva Terlingua were decidedly country in style, and helped increase the name recognition of fellow songwriters such as Ray Wylie Hubbard, Guy Clark, and the Lost Gonzo Band with Gary P. Nunn.
Again, you can only purchase It’s About Time at shop.jerryjeff.com/cd-its-about-time/ and Saving Country Music has yet to hear it so this is more a news item than a ringing endorsement. But it’s good to see Jerry Jeff back after a long road to recovery, playing shows, and releasing new music once again.
Track List:
- “That’s Why I Play” (Jerry Jeff Walker)
- “California Song” (Jerry Jeff Walker)
- “Because Of You” (Jerry Jeff Walker)
- “My Favorite Picture Of You” (Guy Clark, Gorden Sampson)
- “Somethin’ Bout A Boat” (James Otto, Jedd Hughes, Dave Berg, Patrick Russell Davis, Eric Paslay, Django Walker)
- “But For The Time” (Jerry Jeff Walker)
- “Ballad of Honest Sam” (Paul Siebel)
- “South Coast” (Lilian Bos Ross, Sam Eskin, Richard Dehr)
- “Rain Song” (Jerry Jeff Walker)
- “Old Shep” (Red Foley)
- Old New Mexico (Jerry Jeff Walker, Christine Albert)
April 24, 2018 @ 8:27 am
This is such a no brainer.
August 28, 2018 @ 9:56 am
Flying thru Baltimore recently and was speaking to this guy from west Texas. He was wearing a
Gary P. Nunn t-shirt so we started talking about musicians and such when he mentioned Jerry
Jeff and his health. Hope that you are doing well and have good memories from college at UofH
listening to your music back in the 70’s.
April 24, 2018 @ 8:40 am
Hey Trig, your link to Jerry Jeff’s website has the https prefix but the website isn’t set up with an SSL. Might wanna edit the link to just http://shop.jerryjeff.com/cd-its-about-time/
April 24, 2018 @ 8:41 am
Well that was weird, when I pasted it the “s” was missing but then it added it somehow. Just do shop.jerryjeff.com/cd-its-about-time
April 24, 2018 @ 8:56 am
Yeah the problem appears to be that Jerry Jeff’s site is not https, and since Saving Country Music is an encripted site, it doesn’t want to link to something unsecured. Cutting and pasting the link will work just fine though.
April 24, 2018 @ 8:57 am
Nice to see! I had the privilege of attending his Nashville Boogie set at The Opry last year. He played a good long show including the fan favorites you really want to hear. La Freeway, Bojangles, Trashy Women, Up Against the wall redneck mother and numerous Guy Clark tunes. Really great set with a full band.This must have been just prior to the cancer treatment. He sounded good though. He is a gracious performer and the crowd loved it. He’s a direct link to the “outlaw” era and one of a kind. Can’t wait to hear this!!
April 24, 2018 @ 9:36 am
Good to hear Jerry Jeff is doing better. Anyone know what Django is up to? I really liked that guy a lot, was always great talking with him after shows back in the day and whatnot. All around good dude.
April 24, 2018 @ 10:46 am
Django was one of the musicians I saw on stage at the grand opening of Wade Bowen’s bar a few weeks ago, and “Something Bout A Boat” was one of the songs he sang. I’ll also mention that there’s currently a Jerry Jeff Walker exhibit at Texas State University called “¡Viva Jerry Jeff!”
April 25, 2018 @ 6:58 am
I’m hoping I get to make it down to San Marcos and check this out. Saw this on a local news story and it looks like they have some awesome stuff on display.
April 25, 2018 @ 7:13 am
Not a whole lot of people see the “Wittliff Collection” displays, because they’re on the top floor of the university library, but they have some cool things up there.
April 25, 2018 @ 8:38 am
I agree, they have some really cool stuff on display. When I was a student there, they had the Lonesome Dove archives on display. It was freaking awesome.
April 24, 2018 @ 10:57 am
Looks like he’s been playing around Austin. He did some sxsw gigs and saw he was part of the longhorn spring game concert. Haven’t seen him in years but agree, he’s fun to see live. I miss the weekday gigs at Momo’s
April 24, 2018 @ 11:03 am
So glad Scamp Walker is back in the saddle we saw him at Billy Bobs in Fort Worth this past memorial weekend for a Sunday night show just before the cancer treatments and he was fabulous as always I will get a copy of the new album great to have new material!!!
April 24, 2018 @ 1:14 pm
Old Shep
April 24, 2018 @ 1:18 pm
Man, this is exciting.
I didn’t know he had cancer last year, only that he was really aging badly and looking frail.
My 45 year love affair with country music began when my best friend’s brother, who had enrolled at Rice University in Houston, brought back a copy of Viva Terlingua.
And my life, and musical tastes, haven’t been the same since.
Man I love Jerry Jeff.
April 24, 2018 @ 1:25 pm
That Red Foley track is actually Old Shep rather than Old Sheep. Great to see JJW back in the saddle.
April 24, 2018 @ 6:24 pm
I wouldn’t have thought about The Kingston Trio for 100bucks- “Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley”. I loved that song when I was a kid!
From Jerry Jeff, I like Red neck Mother….saw him only one time, years ago, at Willie’s deal when he held it in the Woodlands- I felt privileged to be sitting so close to the stage and watch all the performers up close and personal and Jerry Jeff came across as sincerely into his effort which I appreciate- a lot.
April 24, 2018 @ 9:44 pm
More good news! I’d imagine an album coming out of that type of harrowing experience will be rather profound to say the least.
April 25, 2018 @ 12:20 am
Good to hear he’s still kickin’. I’ve always loved his music. Especially his cover of Guy Clark’s Desperados Waiting for a Train, which is not only my favorite version of that song ever recorded but also one of my favorite songs in general.
April 25, 2018 @ 6:16 am
So glad to see him back. One of my all time fav artists. Saw him live a half dozen times. I still play his music all the time.
April 27, 2018 @ 9:29 pm
A true troubadour and a great spirit. Long live Jerry Jeff!
June 9, 2019 @ 7:59 am
Saw him last night at Gruene Hall. As a cancer survivor I wanted to see him at least once more. Glad we went. Gruene Hall is a shrine but even shrines need A/C .
July 27, 2019 @ 6:41 pm
I play “Ridin’ High” all the time–great album. And I have his jazz album also. Love his voice.
October 5, 2019 @ 10:21 pm
Jerry Jeff,a cool bad ass dude!
July 10, 2020 @ 9:21 am
Jerry Jeff truly an American ICON of Americana/ folk/folk rock/ country. Jerry knows no bounds. Truly a genius, artist, extraordinary guitar player, poet. He is in a class all by himself. His music moved me all my life & I am 65 yrs old.
October 24, 2020 @ 11:33 pm
I saw Jerry Jeff in Houston in 1992 at a place called Rockerfellers. Man he was smoking cool and hitting the notes. The man knew how to entertain and was an incredible song writer.
Rest in peace Scamp Walker. We will never forget you or your music.