Comment by Kyla Fairchild on November 27, 2012 at 9:57pm

Thanks for posting this TwangNation! Looking forward to this one.

Here's more info from the press release: “The art of Townes Van Zandt reveals a little at a time. Every hearing brings forth something you can’t believe you missed all the other times, or something that rings even truer today than way back when.”

Omnivore will give listeners more to discover in Townes Van Zandt when the 28-song, two-CD set is released on February 5, 2013. The recordings that comprise the set have been hidden away in the vault since their initial recording and are now presented with the cooperation of the estate. Due to acquisitions by various labels of the initial Poppy Records recordings, these session recordings have sat on the shelf with no one knowing quite where to find them — until now.

Following ten studio albums, several singles and several live albums, the troubled life of the influential singer-songwriter, performer and poet came to a close on New Years Day 1997.

Omnivore is pleased to finally be able to present, after many years in the works, a two-CD set of previously unavailable music from the Texas singer-songwriter’s classic albums High, Low & In Between and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. One disc features outtakes and alternate takes/mixes of tracks from the sessions for those LPs; the other highlights solo demos. The set offers a window into the work that went into those two brilliant recordings, from a time when Van Zandt was at the height of his songwriting powers.

With alternate takes and mixes of songs like “To Live Is To Fly” (presented in both alternate take and demo form) and the classic "Pancho & Lefty" (a mix made alongside the known version, but without the strings and horns of the commercial version), Sunshine Boy is an essential release for all true Townes Van Zandt fans. The quiet and largely solo demo disc provides an intimate portrait of Van Zandt demo-ing songs, some of which would become his best-known compositions.

Escott’s comprehensive liner notes, unseen photographs from the era and some entirely unheard songs, make this collection a must-have for fans of one of the best songwriters of his time.

Comment by Easy Ed on November 28, 2012 at 6:08am

Seems that we are in the midst of a Townes renaissance these past few years as the estate and family has endured in their various legal battles with the Egger brothers. (Kevin was his on and off again manager and the record label owner; Harold was his road manager and helper.) Twas a tangled relationship the three had; multi-dimensional and not quite all of it as one sided as it may seem. The man did have his own role in the drama.

Not sure if there will be anything in these sessions that will be like a "wow" moment, and sometimes I do get skeptical with all this 'lost and found marketing juju', but I take pleasure knowing that it's a way to introduce new fans to his music and getting maybe a little money back to his family. I've read many of the court documents that are public, so I hope all that legal junk has been put to rest...it's all ugly stuff. 

Comment by TwangNation.com on November 28, 2012 at 6:18am

Ed, agreed. Glade the ugliness is put to rest and this legends work can be made public. Thanks for commenting.

Comment by Tom A Aarnes on November 28, 2012 at 6:46am

thanks for posting this i look forward to this and have all the another records

Comment by Will James on November 28, 2012 at 8:57am

Whatever the case, especially the solo demos may offer some great stuff from what I consider his best period (High Low and Late Great). Up until now Live at the Old Quarter was one of the few places one could go to hear the sans-Egger Townes. We can hope this is not just another outtakes album. I have a feeling there'll be a few gems.

Comment by Amos Perrine on November 28, 2012 at 9:23am

I had long thought these existed, somewhere, as TVZ transitioned from Poppy to Tomato in the midst of the tangled webs the Eggers wove. Perhaps it will also come out where they were located and by whom. Looking forward to the set, and hopefully on vinyl.

Comment by Hal Bogerd on November 28, 2012 at 1:16pm

I'd like to hear it but I'm not sure I need to  buy most of these tracks for the fourth, fifth, sixth time?

Comment by Easy Ed on November 28, 2012 at 3:05pm

@Hal: What are you..anti-indie record store or something? Let's face it, despite that this tiny little new label is being distributed by the larger EMI which has now been taken over by the world's largest music conglomerate Universal (who is in the process of selling off EMI's assets), outside of Amazon and iTunes the only place to get this will be your Amoeba, your Electric Fetus, your Music Millennium, etc. So stand by the time honored tradition of what made the music industry what it is today...morally bankrupt and finacially a mess...and support buying the same stuff again for the umpteenth time. Yes...these are different takes and sessions. Yes....the guitar strings might be of a lighter gauge. Yes...Townes wore a faded plaid on these tracks while on the others it was denim. This is history my boy. Just take a look at the Elvis or Beach Boys catalogs. Those weren't ever "lost" yet they've been reissued, remixed and re-marketed just about a dozen times each. This is America. Love it or leave it.

Comment by Will James on November 28, 2012 at 4:53pm

Both you guys, LOL!

Comment by Hal Bogerd on November 28, 2012 at 5:05pm

Pancho & Lefty 4:08 Townes Van Zandt  Live At The Old Quarter-Houston, TX 
Pancho & Lefty 4:10 Townes Van Zandt 1Live at Union Chapel, London, England (Disc 1) 
Pancho & Lefty 3:47 Townes Van Zandt Texas Rain Country
Pancho And Lefty 5:22 Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt & Guy Clark 
Pancho And Lefty 3:51 Townes Van Zandt A Far Cry From Dead Folk
Pancho and Lefty 3:39 Townes Van Zandt Last Rights Country & Folk
Pancho and Lefty 7:48 Townes Van Zandt Live 8/29/90 Texas Troubador
Pancho And Lefty 4:21 Townes Van Zandt  Pancho and Lefty (Live & Obscure) 
Pancho And Lefty 4:02 Townes Van Zandt  Rear View Mirror Folk
Pancho And Lefty 4:27 Townes Van Zandt 1994-11-28 Live In Slovenia Country & Folk

Alright Easy Ed. Maybe I do need another version of Pancho and Lefty.

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