Marilyn and I are an episode behind the run of 1883. Last night, we watched the wagon train cross the Brazos, which naturally sent me off to listen to Lyle Lovett’s lovely rendition of The Texas River Song:
*
Today is the 67th birthday of Steve Earle, one of the most influential singer-songwriters in my musical orbit. There was a time when nobody — including Steve — would have bet he’d see 67. Glad he did.
Steve has more than a couple good frontier yarns in the catalogue. Like this ’un:
A few years back, we got to see Steve and Robert Earl Keen swap verses on Tom Ames’ Prayer in an epic double-bill in Bend. It was Marilyn and my anniversary, and my brother was in town for a rare visit. It all made for a mighty potent show — one we’ll never forget.
Now comes the news that REK is hanging up his touring spurs after this summer. I hope he enjoys kickin’ it close to home, producing his Americana Podcast and bowhunting for fine whitetails. But I’d be lyin’ if I said I don’t regret never getting him here for the Sisters Folk Festival.
Here’s a bit of epic frontier storytelling from REK — a James Carlos Blake novel in four minutes.
Some boracho took me for the man who stole his wife
He went for his .44 as I reached for my knife
He never fired a second shot; he was just too slow
My new life is waiting in old Mexico
*
Yesterday brought word that Dallas Frazier has died. One of the great songwriters. My favorite:
Ain’t gonna lie — this all makes me a little melancholy. But I’m not gonna dwell there. I’ll get me those Corb Lund tickets (after two COVID cancellations)‚ and wait for Colter Wall to get back on the road. Marilyn will haunt the interwebs looking for Ryan Bingham to come within a couple hundred miles, and we’ll deadhead out wherever we have to to catch another set of Billy Strings.
There are big boots to fill out on the trail, but there are folks to fill ’em. The Road Goes On Forever and the Party Never Ends.
Matthew says
I always liked musical storytellers like Keen, Earle, Johnny Cash. It goes back to the old ballads. There is a lot of pure storytelling talent in those songs. It’s sort of the opposite of musical theater in which a the story (often not very good ones) is constantly interrupted by often lame songs.
I saw that Steve Earle wrote a novel when I was last in my local used bookstore. It was in, of all places, the paranormal fiction section. But the bookstore places odd things in the paranormal fiction section. (I’ve seen Tim Powers novels there for example.)
JimC says
Well, it involves the ghost of Hank Williams, so it kinda falls under “magical realism.” Which I’ve always considered just upmarket branding for “fantasy.”
Mentioned at Black Gate: https://www.blackgate.com/2014/10/24/miracles-mystery-and-the-ghost-of-hank-williams-steve-earles-ill-never-get-out-of-this-world-alive/
Fantasy is an odd genre, filled with surprises.
I was browsing the remainder table at Barnes and Noble earlier this month, when I stumbled on a dark fantasy featuring ghosts, mystery, drug addiction… and miracles. The author was none other than singer Steve Earle (Copperhead Row), who’s had his own battles with heroin addiction. I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive is Earle’s only novel (he published one collection of short stories, Doghouse Roses, in 2001), and the back cover was plastered with enthusiastic reviews from The New York Times, USA Today, Rolling Stone, and even Patti Smith. But it was the brief book description that won me over.
Doc Ebersole lives with the ghost of Hank Williams. Literally.
In 1963, ten years after he may have given Hank the morphine shot that killed him, Doc has lost his license. Living in the red-light district of San Antonio, he performs abortions and patches up the odd knife wound to feed his addiction. But when Graciela, a young Mexican immigrant, appears in the neighborhood in search of Doc’s services, miraculous things begin to happen. Everyone she meets is transformed for the better, except, maybe, for Hank’s angry ghost — who isn’t at all pleased to see Doc doing well.
Matthew says
Gene Wolfe famously called magical realism as “fantasy by Spanish speaking people.” (Wolfe was heavily influenced by Borges.)
The thing that I find weird about the paranormal fiction section at my local bookstore is that a lot of it, if not all of it, probably should go in the SF/fantasy section of theirs.
Chuck says
Jim,
Not sure how else to get this article to you I stumbled on today. Seems like and interesting chap who fought in most if your favorite conflicts. https://coffeeordie.com/ivor-thord-gray/
Best wishes
JimC says
Thank you. That guy was amazing.