Something for the weekend: Townes Van Zandt “Rex’s Blues”

That’s it from us for this week dear reader and we leave you with a song from Townes Van Zandt’s classic album ‘A Far Cry From Dead’ which is getting its first vinyl release next month. Van Zandt recorded the vocal and guitar takes for the album from the late 80s through the early 90s at Texhoma Music Group Studio, the late singer’s next-door neighbor’s home studio in Nashville, and Jack Clement’s Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa. Townes left the tapes to his widow, Jeanene Van Zandt, who worked with producer Eric Paul to bring the songs to life with a full band including guitarist Richard Bennet (Mark Knopfler, Billy Joel, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell), percussionist Kenny Malone (Ray Charles, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, etc.), and Charlie McCoy (Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, Waylon Jennings) among others.

‘A Far Cry From Dead’ was the first of Townes’ records to be released on a major label, though the sordid story of its rise and fall is one of many music industry fumbles in the meeting of the CD and early internet era at the turn of the century. What was lauded by many critics at the time as some of Townes’ finest vocal work recorded will finally see a new release in the hands of the legendary songwriters’ family. The album will be re-issued on vinyl by TVZ Records, the label owned and operated by the Van Zandt family, and distributed by Fat Possum Records on April 21st. You can pre-order the vinyl here and they will hopefully ship it to the UK in one piece! Have a good one.