Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe Shaver
Shaver in 2007
Background information
Born	(1939-08-16)August 16, 1939 Corsicana, Texas,U.S.
Died	October 28, 2020(2020-10-28)(aged 81) Waco, Texas,U.S.
Genres	Outlaw country progressive country
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, actor
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1970–2020
Labels	Columbia,Monument
Website	billyjoeshaver.com

Billy Joe Shaver(August 16, 1939 – October 28, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter and actor.

Billy Joe was a prominent figure in theoutlaw countrygenre.He is considered one of the great american songwriters of his generation. He has received praise fromBob Dylan,Willie Nelson,Kris Kristofferonand many others.

Artists includingBob Dylan,Elvis PresleyandJohnny Cashhave recordedhis songs.

Biography

Shaver was born inCorsicana, Texas,and raised by his mother, Victory Watson Shaver. Until he was 12, he spent a great deal of time with his grandmother in Corsicana, so his mother could work inWaco.He sometimes accompanied his mother to her job at a local nightclub, where he was first exposed to country music.

Shaver's mother remarried about the time that his grandmother died, and Shaver and his older sister Patricia moved in with their mother and new stepfather. Shaver left school after the eighth grade to help his uncles pick cotton, but occasionally returned to school to play sports.

Shaver joined theU.S. Navyon his 17th birthday.Upon his discharge, he worked a series of dead-end jobs, including trying to be arodeoclown.About this time, he met and married Brenda Joyce Tindell. They had one son,John Edwin, known as Eddy,who was born in 1962. The two divorced and remarried several times.

Shaver took a job at a lumber mill to make ends meet. One day, his right (dominant) hand became caught in the machinery, and he lost the better part of two fingers and contracted a serious infection. He eventually recovered, and taught himself to play the guitar without the missing fingers.

Shaver lost two fingers in a sawmill accident when he was young.

Shaver set out to hitchhike to Los Angeles. He could not get a ride west, so he went to the other side of the highway and headed east, accompanying a man who dropped him off just outsideMemphis, Tennessee.The next ride brought him toNashville,where he found a job as a songwriter for $50 per week.His work came to the attention ofWaylon Jennings,who filled most of his albumHonky Tonk Heroeswith Shaver's songs after meeting in a travel trailer at Willie Nelson's 4 July picnic. Other artists, includingElvis PresleyandKris Kristofferson,began to record Shaver's music. This led to him getting his own record deal.

The first few recording companies he signed with soon folded.He was never able to gain widespread recognition as a singer, although he never stopped recording his own music. On his records, he has been accompanied by other major rock and country musicians such asWillie Nelson,Nanci Griffith,Chuck LeavellandDickey Betts(of theAllman Brothers),Charlie Daniels,Flaco Jiménez,andAl Kooper.

After losing his wife, Brenda, and his mother to cancer in 1999, Shaver lost his son and longtime guitaristEddy Shaver,who died at age 38 on December 31, 2000. The listed cause of death was a heroin overdose, but there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the case as his face was bruised as if he had been punched multiple times, and the daughter of an Austin police officer was at the residence at the time. Folk country artistTodd Sniderwrote and dedicated his song "Waco Moon" to Eddy. Shaver nearly died the following year when he had a heart attack on stage during anIndependence Dayshow atGruene HallinNew Braunfels, Texas.After successful heart surgery, Shaver came back to releaseFreedom's Childin 2002.

In 1999, Shaver performed at theGrand Ole Opry.In November 2005, he performed on theCMT Outlawsin 2005. In 2006, Shaver was inducted in theTexas Country Music Hall of Fame.He later served as spiritual advisor to Texas independent gubernatorial candidateKinky Friedman.For his efforts, the Americana Music Convention awarded him their Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting.He lived in Waco, Texas.

Bob Dylanmentioned Shaver in his song "I Feel a Change Comin' On" (Bob Dylan andRobert Hunter) on the album,Together Through Life(2009) – "I'm listening to Billy Joe Shaver, And I'm reading James Joyce". Shaver is also the "hero" of the song, "Why Can't I Write Like Billy Joe" on the albumStormy LovebyBugs Henderson.

Shaver's voice is heard on the themes to theAdult Swimtelevision showSquidbillies.The opening themes are only a stanza long and end with asotto vocespoken-word portion. Season 1 Episode 5 ofMike Judge'sTales From The Tour Busfeatures the life of Shaver.

Death

Shaver died on October 28, 2020, from astrokeat the age of 81.

Discography

Main article:Billy Joe Shaver discography

Most notable recordings

Shaver performing in 2015

Shaver's debut album,Old Five and Dimers Like Me(1973), contained many songs noted for being performed by other artists that were written by him, such asDavid Allan CoeandWaylon Jennings.When I Get My Wings(1976) included "Ain't No God In Mexico" (also a hit for Waylon Jennings).Gypsy Boy(1977) included "Honky Tonk Heroes" and "You Asked Me To", both songs written by Shaver for Jennings' 1973 albumHonky Tonk Heroes.

Shaver is also known for his hit "Live Forever", co-written by his son Eddy;Robert Duvallperforms it in the movieCrazy Heart,and it is included in the soundtrack. The song was also performed byThe Highwaymen,Willie NelsonandJoe Ely.Shaver also wrote numerous songs for artists such asPatty Lovelessand Willie Nelson.

Shaver continued to release records throughout the 1980s and 1990s; the most notable was the critically acclaimedTramp On Your Street,released in 1993, which prominently featured the guitar playing of Eddy Shaver.

Shaver's 2007 albumcountry gospelstyleEverybody's BrotherwasGrammy-nominated. Many of the songs are duets with artists such asJohnny Cash,Kris Kristofferson,andTanya Tucker.Musicians playing on the album includedRandy Scruggs,Laura Cash,John Anderson, andMarty Stuart.

On May 22, 2014,Rolling Stonepremiered the single-duet with Willie Nelson "Hard To Be An Outlaw".The album,Long in the Toothwas released on August 5, 2014, by Lightning Rod Records.After a 41-year career,Long in the Toothbecame Shaver's first album to chart inBillboard'sTop Country Albums,entering the chart at 19.The album also entered theBillboard 200,peaking at 157.

In 2019, Shaver received the Poet's Award from theAcademy of Country Musicto honor his achievements in songwriting.

In 2022 a tribute album of Shaver's songs was releasedLive Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaverwhich include tracks from Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Ryan Bingham, Nikki Lane, Rodney Crowell, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Steve Earle, Nathaniel Rateliff, Amanda Shire, Margo Price, and others.

In 2023, Shaver appeared onTanya Tucker’s critically acclaimed albumSweet Western Sound.Shaver’s voice appeared at the beginning to open the album and at the end to close the album.

Shooting in Lorena, Texas

On April 2, 2007, police inLorena, Texas,issued two arrest warrants for Shaver on charges of aggravated assault and possessing a firearm in a prohibited place, in connection with an incident outside a tavern, Papa Joe's Texas Saloon, in Lorena two days prior, on March 31, in which Shaver shot a man, Billy Bryant Coker, in the face with a handgun. Coker's injuries, however, were not reported as life-threatening.

Witnesses interviewed by police report hearing Shaver say "Where do you want it?" and then, after the shot was fired, "Tell me you are sorry." and "No one tells me to shut up." Coker told police the attack was unprovoked. Shaver's attorney declared that Shaver had shot Coker "in self-defense" after Coker threatened Shaver with a knife.

In an August 2014NPRinterview, Shaver said that he shot Coker because he was "such a bully" and that "I hit him right between a mother and a fucker. That was the end of that. He dropped his weapons and said, 'I'm sorry.' And I said, 'Well, if you had said that inside, there would have been no problem.'"

After unsuccessfully attempting to surrender to police inAustin,who were unaware of the warrant, Shaver turned himself in at McLennan County Jail in Waco on April 3. He was released after an hour on $50,000 bond and gave his scheduled performance at Waterloo Records in Austin that evening,where he reportedly told fans, "Don't forget to pray for me, and tell your kids to pray for me, too."

He was acquitted in a Waco court on April 9, 2010, after testifying that he acted in self-defense, with friends Willie Nelson and Robert Duvall in attendance for support.

Texas-based country musicianDale Watsonwrote a song about the incident titled "Where Do You Want It?". The song has been recorded byWhitey Morgan and the 78'sand appears on theirself-titled second album,released byBloodshot Records.

Acting

In 1996, Shaver took a part in the filmThe Apostleplaying oppositeRobert Duvall.He had additional speaking roles in the Duvall filmSecondhand Lions(2003) and inThe Wendell Baker Story(2005).

In 2004, a documentary of his life,A Portrait of Billy Joe,was released. The documentary was directed byLuciana Pedraza.In 2006, a documentary of a concert,Billy Joe Shaver – North Carolina 2006was released on YouTube along with a limited number of DVDs. The documentary was directed byGuy Schwartz,whom Eddie Shaver listed as a musical mentor, and was shot at theStevens CenteratUniversity of North Carolina School of the Artsin Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

In 2008, he co-starred withBill EngvallandBilly Ray Cyrusin the made-for-TV USA Network movie,Bait Shop.In 2016, he had a cameo in the TV seriesStill the King,also alongside Cyrus.

ComedianNorm Macdonaldwas an avid Shaver fan and personal friend, opening his bookBased on a True Storywith a quote from one of his songs, and praising his songwriting on his podcastNorm Macdonald Live.In 2018, Shaver appeared as a guest on Macdonald'sNetflixprogramNorm Macdonald Has a Show.In addition, Shaver's songI'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal,was chosen as the closing music for Macdonald's posthumous Netflix comedy release of 2022Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special.

External links

• Billy Joe ShaveratAllMusic
• Billy Joe Shaverdiscography atDiscogs
• Entry at 45cat.com
• Billy Joe ShaveratIMDb
• Interview on Lone Star Music
• Interview on Fresh Air (RealAudio)
• At Rolling Stone magazine
• At StarpulseArchivedMarch 3, 2016, at theWayback Machine
• Interview At Twang Nation
• Interview on NPR Morning Edition, 5 August, 2014