“Live Forever” Book on Billy Joe Shaver’s Life & Songs Sets Release
An oral history on the life of songwriting legend Billy Joe Shaver will be released on July 21st. Called Live Forever: The Songwriting Legacy of Billy Joe Shaver, it is about Shaver’s life and songs told through his peers, friends, and disciples. Authored by Courtney S. Lennon, the book will feature contributions from Bobby Bare, Rodney Crowell, Ray Benson, Steve Earle, Elizabeth Cook, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Dale Watson, James McMurtry, Scott H. Biram, Dallas Moore, and Jessi Colter (who’s as close as you can get to Waylon’s perspective).
“‘Honky Tonk Heroes’ broke new ground,” Jessi Colter says about the landmark Waylon Jennings record that featured all Billy Joe Shaver songs but one. “[The album is] great American music and put Billy Joe on the map. I loved it immediately when the album was done. The songs are great, Texas primitive, genuine. ‘Honky Tonk Heroes’ became a remarkable milestone and is to this day, music about the working man, the man who hasn’t had it easy and has had to scrap for a living. Waylon loved doing those songs.”
Author Courtney S. Lennon has been a strong voice in the roots community via her website TurnstyledJunkpiled. Lennon is related to legendary songwriter Stephen Foster, and is a native of Buffalo, NY. She graduated from The University at Buffalo with a B.A. in Philosophy and began her writing career at the Arts Desk of The University at Buffalo Spectrum.
“Billy Joe is like a college professor,” says Dale Watson, who once wrote a song about Shaver’s notorious run-in with the law after shooting a man in self-defense (the man turned out fine). “What he does and how he does it is a lost trade, and it needs to be there to let people know how to write a damn song. My favorite song of his is probably ‘Live Forever.’ It’s got a spiritual tone to it like Billy always has, a songwriter’s lament, a song that every good ‘ol boy can identify with.”
Live Forever: The Songwriting Legacy of Billy Joe Shaver was first announced in 2018, but is now getting published via Texas A&M University Press, John and Robin Dickson Series in Texas Music. Billy Joe Shaver passed away on October 28th, 2020. The book is now available for pre-order.
June 23, 2022 @ 7:17 pm
Well, this sounds very cool.
Will look forward to getting the book.
June 23, 2022 @ 8:00 pm
Billy Joe has always been one of my favorite poets and personality. An outlaw who didn’t take no for an answer! this should be something very special. And if anyone deserves this its Billy Joe Shaver. The legend will always live on. We will be together forever.
June 24, 2022 @ 7:24 am
Billy used to sell a book at his live shows… I believe that instill have mine
More Billy Joe the better, he was my honky tonk hero
June 26, 2022 @ 7:55 am
Yes, I bought a copy of it at his show at Riley Tavern in TX back in 2016. He signed it “Bless You Taylor, Your Friend Billy Joe.” It is my most prized possession.
June 24, 2022 @ 8:30 am
This is grrrrrrrrrrrreat news! A Man who gathered stones from a truly lived Life that he used to build his own Mountain to stand upon.
June 24, 2022 @ 4:54 pm
Check out Dale Watson with his song about Billy Joe, “Where Do You Want It” on Youtube. It’s about Billy Joe shooting a guy in self defense (jury acquitted him)
June 24, 2022 @ 6:26 pm
Seemed like Billy Joe got a gift acquittal in that case. I like both Billy Joe and Dale, but I thought that song was dumb.
June 24, 2022 @ 7:55 pm
Billy was my friend for over forty years. This author Billy and I discussed, Billy told her to stop writing about him, back off. Now look. She was no friend. She acted nasty. Please ignore this publication I am sure it is not based on fact.
June 25, 2022 @ 4:49 am
What a wonderful way to celebrate Shavers life and songs! About time!
June 25, 2022 @ 1:40 pm
Billy Joe Shaver was a good songwriter and he lived a good life I think he was good man
August 10, 2022 @ 11:49 pm
Ok
August 10, 2022 @ 11:53 pm
Billy , was a great Man!. We know how close he was to his sister Patricia. Even though she has a valid will the two Yahoo’s that are fighting over his estate which is Patricia’s son which doesn’t deserve the time of day and the record company doesn’t deserve it she’s the only blood can left why doesn’t she get it all…. Instead of being left completely in the cold. How can it ever be right it’s not
August 10, 2022 @ 11:54 pm
She should get it anybody know a good lawyer in Waco? This looks like an open and shut case to me neither one of the other two have a valid will that’s why they’re having a jury trial
September 29, 2022 @ 3:52 am
Great book, I would probably read it again and again. At least my friends have heard of it. I read it while I was in college, I remember I then ordered an article to save time about “not a useful vehicle feature”, used https://studyhippo.com/which-of-the-following-is-not-a-useful-vehicle-feature-from-a-security-perspective/ for this. I would like to erase my memory and read the book with the same emotions. But so far this is not possible.