A song for Townes
In November of 1996 Townes van Zandt played his last tour of Europe. I was a 26-year-old kid who had just come back to Germany after spending a year as an exchange student in Austin, Tx. The reason I went to Austin in the first place was the songwriting scene that I quickly immersed myself in.
The only thing that qualified me to open a show for Townes was that I knew who he was and had the guts to ask.
He passed away only about five weeks later on January 1, 1997. I was shocked to hear of his passing but – after having just seen him – I can’t say I was very surprised.
This song – written 15 years or so later – tells the story.
The studio version is on my 8th album “My Rocket Ship”.
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