On New Year’s Day, 1997, Townes Van Zandt passed away in the hospital at the age of 52. This passing January marks 27 years since his passing, and mercy: what a monumental presence we lost.
You may not know it, but you’ve heard Van Zandt’s music before. . . well, assuming you like country music (which you should!). Don’t believe me? Here are some examples: the song “Pancho and Lefty,” made most famous by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, was written by Van Zandt. The song “If I Needed You,” of Emmylou Harris fame, was also his work. And in more recent years, Van Zandt’s song “Fraulein” has been covered by Tyler Childers and Colter Wall—two of the most important artists in the genre today. Even Bob Dylan has covered Van Zandt, and considers himself a large fan of his work to this day.
Music fans, young and old, are keenly familiar with Van Zandt’s body of work, yet if you ask them about him, they’ll typically scratch their heads and shrug. He is as prolific as he is invisible—his soulful lyricism and rich guitar work has touched the hearts of millions, yet the spotlight rarely graces him. He’s your favorite artist’s favorite artist. He inspired your biggest inspiration. I admit, the phrases “soulful lyricism” and “rich guitar work” are hopelessly vague, but it’s out of necessity. Like anything with a bit of magic to it, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is about Van Zandt’s songs that make them so special. That being said, if I *had* to pin it down to a few specifics, these would be my best guesses:
There is a clearness to Van Zandt’s musical work that is especially noticeable in his vocals; every meticulously chosen word is sung with complete clarity, leaving the listener with a head full of beautiful, poetic imagery. Van Zandt’s lyrical vocabulary, too, lends itself to this inviting, imaginative aura, for example, from “If I Needed You”:
In the night forlorn,
oh the morning’s born.
And the morning shines
with the lights of love.
Just unbelievable. And this is just one verse! From one song! If you’re poetically minded, you’ll find yourself gawking at the depth of Townes’ poeticism. No country song before or since has had this level of care put into its lyrics, nor captured the true nature of heartbreak, substance abuse, and loneliness like Van Zandt. This is not to pigeonhole him as some sort of melancholic writer; his lyrical explorations of love, too, are more sincere and prescient than any of his contemporaries’. I mean, just look how he describes it here. Wow.
Sonically, Van Zandt’s music gorgeously weaves complexity and simplicity into a singular, cohesive experience. His finger-picking style is understated and humble, and yet every melody drapes the listener in emotion, giving color and context to Van Zandt’s sorrowful singing. Underlying these guitar harmonies are a menagerie of instruments; deep, warm bass tones, subdued percussion, and other oddities–piano ostinatos, bluesy harmonicas, and even the odd woodwind, all of which comes together to form an experience that is truly transportive. Heartbreak ballads become paintings of inky sunsets in the mind of the listener. Love songs become morning sunrises. I didn’t know music could sound like the dawn, but Van Zandt’s music certainly manages it.
If you find the time, please go listen to Townes Van Zandt. Even if country music isn’t your thing (yet), the heart of Van Zandt’s work has a sincerity and beauty that everyone could find shade under.
