Townes Van Zandt to Finally Be Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
A long overdue distinction for one of country music’s greatest songwriters will finally come to pass. Announced at a press conference Tuesday morning (8-9) in Nashville, Townes Van Zant will be inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with fellow songwriters Aaron Barker, Beth Nielsen Chapman, and Bob Morrison.
Van Zandt’s contributions to country—including the #1 ‘Pancho & Lefty” for Willie Nelson, and Emmylou Harris’s hit “If I Needed You”—have long gone under-appreciated by songwriting institutions, despite his name looming large among fellow songwriters, performers, and country fans for many years. Van Zandt’s death on New Years Day in 1997 cut his career short, and never gave him the coronation fellow songwriters of the era such as Guy Clark received later in life. Townes’ tragic life and death have made him almost a mythical character to some, including a legendary appearance in the Outlaw documentary Heartworn Highways.
“Townes really believed in the healing powers of music, and songwriting especially,” his son Will Van Zandt said at the press conference. “He dedicated his whole life to it. He never bragged or boasted about it. He was quietly a very proud person. I know this means a lot to him, and it means a lot to us in his family.”
Townes Van Zandt is #5 on Saving Country Music’s Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
Among the other Hall of Fame inductees, Aaron Barker is known best for writing songs for George Strait and Aaron Tippin among others, and for being the voice in the commercials for Blue Bell ice cream. Beth Nielsen Chapman’s contributions include Willie Nelson’s “Nothing I Can Do About It Now” and Tanya Tucker’s “Strong Enough To Bend.” And Bob Morrison is best known for writing Johnny Lee’s standard “Lookin’ For Love.”
August 9, 2016 @ 10:31 am
Ten bucks says both Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell might make a tribute performance over there.
August 9, 2016 @ 11:23 am
About damn time.
August 9, 2016 @ 11:56 am
A well-deserved honor for an overrated songwriter…
August 9, 2016 @ 1:20 pm
I assume you mean underrated . . . .
August 9, 2016 @ 1:26 pm
No. I mean overrated.
August 9, 2016 @ 3:39 pm
take it back RD I meen it I wont have that kinda talk
August 11, 2016 @ 2:43 pm
Maybe you shouldn’t post when you’ve been drinking.
August 10, 2016 @ 12:25 pm
I would love to hear your response to my music. Honestly. Mike Healy @ bandcamp.com , the name of the albumn is ” if you cant be good be careful”
August 9, 2016 @ 12:37 pm
Like so many others, I want to say: It was about time..
He has also contributed to, FAK most popular song “My Silver
Lining”.
They gave his album “Our Mother the Mountain” to Nathaniel Walcott and
said we want an string arrangement similar to this …
They said this about him in an interview when they were asked to name
few of their “Folk influences”:
“We can not talk about folk heroes without mentioning Townes Van
Zandt. There are few musicians who have inspired us like he has,
truly. ‘Kathleen’ from ‘Our Mother The Mountain’ (1969) was a big
inspiration for the production of our latest record, ‘Stay Gold’. The
way the eerie strings seem to answer to the lyrics, punctuating The
Sorrow and creepiness of the song. There is a darkness to Townes Van
Zandt’s music That is always present. This song is so frightening and
so beautiful all at the sametime, Which is Precisely what makes it so
great.”
August 9, 2016 @ 1:35 pm
Oh. Well, I guess it’s possible to be both overrated and well deserving of a hall of fame induction. So to each his own.
August 9, 2016 @ 2:31 pm
Overrated? Well… Tell that to Steve Earle… 🙂
This is the second time in three days one of my favorites been called “overrated”, first Cash and now Van Zandt….I agree he was no Merle, Willie,or Guy Clark. But he has written some of my favorites songs. Number one probably being “Waitin’ Around to Die” The only thing I had a bit of issue with was his singing wich I sometimes find a bit “dry” but I do likes his songs
August 9, 2016 @ 3:27 pm
I think BJ was trying to respond to RD above.
August 9, 2016 @ 4:03 pm
Thank you I think I’m a bit dizzy today
August 9, 2016 @ 1:14 pm
His music changed my life too.
To live is to fly……
August 9, 2016 @ 1:59 pm
I never went cuckoo for cocoa puffs over Townes like a lot of others do, but I respect his body of work and like several of his songs, most notably “Flyin’ Shoes,” “Waitin’ Around To Die,” and “Talking Thunderbird Blues.” I’m also fascinated that despite coming from wealth and privilege, he turned his back on that and slummed his way around the country, living on music and booze until the very end. And I believe he does deserve this honor, just on influence alone if nothing else
August 9, 2016 @ 3:45 pm
never heard of him. is he good?
August 9, 2016 @ 8:31 pm
Not amazing as a singer, but one of the best songwriters ever.
August 9, 2016 @ 3:47 pm
Saving Country Music should do their own virtual hall of fame for country, bluegrass, folk, and Americana artists. It could be one of the tabs at the top of the page.
August 9, 2016 @ 3:58 pm
Seriously? He hasn’t already been in for years now?!?!
August 9, 2016 @ 5:41 pm
Well deserved but you can’t hear a trace of his influence
In the crap that’s stinking up ” country radio ” these days.
Proud to have gotten to share stages with TVZ, Guy, and all
the hillbilly masters who mentored a kid with a dream.
August 9, 2016 @ 8:19 pm
was thirlled to witness the announcement and hang with Jeanene, Will and Katie Belle Van Zandt. Managed Townes from 1976-8 so gave myself a pat on the back.
August 10, 2016 @ 5:09 am
Can’t believe some are saying over-rated – clearly never listened to his lyrics – not just the two or three mentioned here – but all of his work – truly amazing
August 10, 2016 @ 9:23 am
I think I am the only one saying that he is overrated. I love Townes Van Zandt. I have every album I could get my hands on. Snowin’ on Raton is one of my favorite songs. I was listening to it two days ago before this article appeared. I watch Heartworn Highways often. The scene where Uncle Seymour is crying as Townes sings, is one of the most gut-wrenching things to watch, considering how Townes’ life went from there…
All of that being said, Townes Van Zandt is overrated. He wrote dark, beautiful songs with haunting introspective lyrics, but his full catalog just doesn’t stack up to other greats. Its just my opinion. I will continue to listen to and enjoy his music; I just don’t think he’s one of the ten best songwriters of all time.
August 10, 2016 @ 9:10 am
Anybody that can make a woman rip off her blouse at folk concert is a person worthy of this honor. He was inducted into the ACL hall of fame from his first performance on the first Austin City Limits venue debut. It is now housed at the Smithsonian Institute… Forever
August 12, 2016 @ 12:16 pm
yeye
August 13, 2016 @ 4:33 pm
Steve Earle should be inducted in there as well, but I know for sure Steve will love that Townes is inducted now. It’s good.
August 28, 2016 @ 2:47 pm
Gene Clark blows them all out of the water with the force of a hydrogen bomb nevermind Steve Young who few also ever mention. Highly over rated is spot on (IMO). I went to the Steve Earl TVZ tribute show at the Big Top and the best song he did was the one he wrote,’This Mountain’s my Home’. That, and Sturgill and Stapleton can both chew on a bag of Cosby dicks for saying pop-country doesn’t need saving. Its like they’re reading off the same cue cards. It ain’t a lard commercial boys. Modern Country is only the very beginning of what needs saving in ‘Merica 2016. I appreciate that Beliebers help the economy and all, and to each his own. If Pancho and Lefty sounds like the greatest thing ever to you, more power. But I suggest putting on Clark’s debut, any song he wrote for the Byrds, or White Light if you haven’t already, then decide.