Pickers and Poets: The Ruthlessly Poetic Singer-Songwriters of Texas

Contents

• Introduction, by Craig Clifford and Craig D. Hillis 1
• Part One. The First Generation: Folksingers, Texas Style
• Too Weird for Kerrville: The Darker Side of Texas Music 17
• Craig Clifford
• Townes Van Zandt: The Anxiety, Artifice, and Audacity of Influence 27
• Robert Earl Hardy
• Vignette—The Ballad of Willis Alan Ramsey 36
• Bob Livingston
• Guy Clark: Old School Poet of the World 39
• Tamara Saviano
• Kris Kristofferson: The Silver-Tongued Rhodes Scholar 49
• Peter Cooper
• Vignette—Don Henley: Literature, Land, and Legacy 59
• Kathryn Jones
• Steven Fromholz, Michael Martin Murphey, and Jerry Jeff Walker: Poetic in Lyric, Message, and Musical Method 61
• Craig D. Hillis
• Vignette—Kinky Friedman: The Mel Brooks of Texas Music 83
• Craig Clifford
• Billy Joe Shaver: Sin and Salvation Poet 85
• Joe Holley
• One Man’s Music: Vince Bell 92
• Joe Nick Patoski
• Vignette—Ray Wylie Hubbard: Grifter, Ruffian, Messenger 101
• Jenni Finlay
• The Great Progressive Country Scare of the 1970s 103
• Craig D. Hillis (interview with Gary P. Nunn)
• Plenty Else to Do: Lyrical Lubbock 109
• Andy Wilkinson
• Roots of Steel: The Poetic Grace of Women Texas Singer-Songwriters 115
• Kathryn Jones
• From Debauched Yin to Mellow Yang: A Circular Trip through the Texas Music Festival Scene 136
• Jeff Prince
• Vignette—Bobby Bridger: “Heal in the Wisdom,” Creating a Classic 145
• Craig D. Hillis (interview with Bobby Bridger)
• Interlude: What Do We Do with Willie? 148
• —I. Willie (An Early Encounter) 148
• Craig D. Hillis
• —II. Willie (On Everything) 151
• Craig Clifford and Craig D. Hillis
• Part Two. The Second Generation: Garage Bands, Large Bands, and Other Permutations
• “Gettin’ Tough”: Steve Earle’s America 161
• Jason Mellard
• Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen: Cosmic Aggies 166
• Jan Reid
• Vignette—Walt Wilkins: Spirituality and Generosity 174
• Craig Clifford (interview with Tim Jones)
• Lucinda Williams: Poet of Places in the Heart 176
• Kathryn Jones
• Rodney Crowell: Looking Inward, Looking Outward 185
• John T. Davis
• Vignette—Sam Baker: Short Stories in Song 192
• Robert Earl Hardy
• James McMurtry: Too Long in the Wasteland 193
• Diana Finlay Hendricks
• Part Three. Epilogue: Passing of the Torch?
• Drunken Poet’s Dream: Hayes Carll 203
• —I. Good Enough for Old Guys 203
• Craig Clifford
• —II. Good Enough for Young Guys 207
• Brian T. Atkinson
• Roll On: Terri Hendrix 209
• Brian T. Atkinson
• From Riding Bulls to Dead Horses: Ryan Bingham 212
• Craig Clifford (interview with Shaina Post)
• Bad Girl Poet: Miranda Lambert 218
• Craig Clifford
• Challenge to Bro Country: Kacey Musgraves 221
• Grady Smith
• Beyond the Rivers 224
• Craig Clifford
• Notes 231
• Selected Sources 233
• Contributors 243
• Index 251