Book Review: To Live's to Fly: The Ballad of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt by John Kruth - Page 2

Townes Van Zandt was the son of a rich Texas family with a history as deep as the Big State itself. He essentially threw it all away around the same time he discovered people like Elvis and blues legend Lightnin' Hopkins. With that, Van Zandt instead chose to pursue a life of wine and women, but most importantly, his unwavering dedication to song.

This so horrified his parents that they had actually had him committed to a mental institution. In one humorous but telling story in the book, Van Zandt takes off his ever-present cowboy hat, and points to several small red dots on his forehead. "Electro shock therapy," he says.

Van Zandt's story is told here in painstaking detail through a series of in-depth interviews with those closest to him, including wives and girlfriends, the musicians and friends he both inspired and aggravated (including Earle, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and best friend Guy Clark), and business associates like longtime manager Kevin Eggers (himself the subject of debate to this day amongst Van Zandt's friends and fans).

The stories here range from tales of Van Zandt's numerous, often notorious drunken escapades on the road playing a seemingly endless string of roadhouse honky tonks and Juke Joints, to a closer look at a brilliant, but complicated man hounded throughout his life by the twin demons of alcoholism and depression. In between, author John Kruth, who is himself a musician, offers keen insight into Van Zandt's artistic body of work.

What emerges is a portrait of a rare artist, who was equally capable of the simple, romantic beauty of a song like "To Live's to Fly," and the darker edges of something like "Sanitarium Blues." The book also reveals Van Zandt as a complex enigma who was capable of both humor and compassion, but also of harsh cruelty.

Although occasionally hard to read because of the way that Kruth's narrative interlocks with the interviews — they often jump in and out in such a way it's a little tough to catch your breath — To Live's to Fly is a fascinating, and uncompromisingly honest look at a songwriter many who would know claim was the best of his time.

For fans, this book is a must. For those looking for an introduction it works as well, although I would also point you toward the album Live At The Old Quarter, Houston Texas.

Article Author: Glen Boyd

You'll find Blogcritics music editor Glen Boyd sharing his Thoughtmares on his personal blogs The World Wide Glen, and The Rockologist. Glen is also the author of Neil Young FAQ, scheduled for a spring 2012 release by Backbeat Books/Hal Leonard …

Visit Glen Boyd's author page — Glen Boyd's Blog