Lone Star Jukebox

HE WROTE NINE OUT OF TEN SONGS ON THE ALBUM THAT HELPED CREATE OUTLAW COUNTRY. MOST PEOPLE STILL DON'T KNOW HIS NAME. Billy Joe Shaver lost parts of two fingers in a sawmill accident. His dominant hand. His guitar hand. He learned to play anyway.

Then he found Waylon Jennings. Or maybe he cornered him. Shaver pushed his songs toward Waylon until Waylon finally listened. What came out of that collision was H***y Tonk Heroes in 1973 — nine of ten songs written by a man most people have never heard of. Waylon had the voice, the attitude, and the danger. But Billy Joe had the words.

He lost his mother. Lost his wife Brenda — the woman he married more than once — to cancer. Had a heart attack mid-show at Gruene Hall, the oldest honky-tonk in Texas. Said he thanked God for letting him die there. He survived anyway.

Willie Nelson called him the greatest living songwriter. Elvis recorded his songs. Johnny Cash recorded his songs. Bob Dylan recorded his songs. But Billy Joe Shaver never became as famous as the men who carried his words.

He died in 2020. Still writing. Still showing up. Maybe it's time the rest of us learned his name. - Country Music
▶️Listen this song in the 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 👇

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What's your favorite or one of your favorite songs that features a woman's name in the title?

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Good to see James McMurtry and Lyle Lovett make this Readers Choice list! Ok now let’s keep it just for Texas - Best Living Song Writers (Texans)

Times Readers Pick the 100 Greatest Living American Songwriters 25,000 people responded to our poll. Here are their top picks.

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Lone Star Jukebox

Question of the day: A hypothetical: the state of Texas has decided to open a Texas Music Hall of Fame Museum. For the grand opening, you have been asked to put together an exhibition of the most iconic pieces of Texas music memorabilia. What is one musical artifact that you would include? It could be musical instruments, clothing, objects, albums, anything.

Question of the Day: What's a great duet or collaborative song? Who joined forces to make amazing music?

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Well look who’s coming to my Pueblo for our Blues Festival

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Setup - It's the middle of the summer, you're starting a road trip, and you just pulled out on the highway.
What's the first song on your playlist or what album you start with?