To Live’s To Fly: The Ballad Of The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt
by John Kruth

Passionate but disorganised biography of a disorganised life

As Guy Clark remembers in this account of fellow Texas singersongwriter legend, Townes Van Zandt, once “some woman in the audience said, ‘Townes, could you play a happy song?’ and he said, ‘Man, these are the happy songs. You don’t want to hear the sad ones.’” The life that fuelled those country-folk laments was even sadder, marked by rampant alcoholism, womanising, patchwork recordings and label promotion, and station-to-station touring.

The roguish gallery of intimates going on the record with at-once loving and frightening memories of this volatile artist is impressive. There’s Clark, controversial manager Kevin Eggers, producer Jack Clement, ex-wives, sidemen, fellow cult troubadours such as Eric Andersen and Mickey Newbury, and even a bartender at the Hole In The Wall in Austin, Texas. Yet, when not focused on analysis of specific albums, the narrative is frustratingly jumpy, as if the author can’t bear to stay on the same train of thought for too long. Kruth jumps across time, place, and topic at the drop of a hat. Also dragging are an overabundance of both uncritically rabid testimonies to Van Zandt’s genius and disturbing stories of on-the-road excess that really wouldn’t have been more fun if you were there.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

ISBN 0306815532

Reviewed by Richie Unterberger
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