Townes Van Zandt was a well regarded and influential musician and songwriter. The film follows his life as an artist, and documents the impressions he made on other musicians, his commitment to a mental facility, involvement in music, drugs and alcohol, departure from his family, several of his live performances, and general life on the road.
The film covers some of Van Zandt’s time spent in Houston, Texas, where he began his musical development, though according to the film’s DVD commentary, much was excluded from the early years, when he met many of his early influences and life long friends (Lightnin’ Hopkins, Guy Clarke, Steve Earle, Micky Newbury, etc), and developed his musical skills in the city’s folk and country scene in the late 60s and early 70s. –wikipedia
well sometimes / i don't know where / this dirty road is taking me / and sometimes i don't even know the reason why / well i guess i'll keep on gambling / lotta booze and lot of ramblin' / it's easier than just to wait around and die. a worthy tribute to who was probably america's finest songwriter.
Van Zandt's music has been in my life from as early as I can remember. As a child to young parents in south Texas in the 70's, the alt-/hippie-country scene was my soundtrack. The music van Zandt's heart made sculpted my idea of home forever. This film is fantastic. It feels as true as his songs.
Gibson J-45 with a sunburst--fills my heart with joy. Some of this same footage must be in Heartworn Highways (1976), a good doc about lots of inebriated and talented singer-songwriters from Townes' era.
I'd not heard van Zandt before discovering this documentary. A lonely soul, in interview commenting on a statement that many of his songs are sad, saying "they're not all sad...some are hopeless", seemingly without irony. A slew of known musicians gather to comment on van Zandt's visions, his problems with alcohol and of how he has influenced people. I'll recommend it not only for music fans.