Patton Oswalt chats with Jimmy McDonough about his Gary Stewart biography

Patton Oswalt gets the low-down on Jimmy McDonough's new Gary Stewart book, 38 years in the making. 

Gary Stewart pre-RCA archival comp due from Delmore in July

Delmore's new Gary Stewart rarities disc One Track Mind makes an ace companion for Jimmy McDonough's new biography of the late honky tonk hero. 

Previously unreleased, pre-RCA recordings by the once, future and forever King Of The Honky-Tonks. For nearly two decades, we obsessively scoured the vaults of multiple publishing houses along Music Row, and the endless archives of Gary's closest friend, Tommy Schwartz, all in search of elusive performances rumoured to exist. One Track Mind is Delmore's third deep dive into the Gary Stewart legacy, which began with the Grandma's Roadhouse LP in 2010.

One Track Mind (out July 17 via Nashville's Delmore Recording Society) finds Gary toward the beginning of his career as a songwriter—newly arrived in Nashville from Fort Pierce, Florida, signing first with Cedarwood and then Forrest Hills publishing. Working primarily with early songwriting partner Bill Eldridge, several tunes heard on this collection would be recorded by luminaries of the genre, including Del Reeves ("One Track Mind"), Cal Smith ("You Can't Housebreak a Tomcat"), Jack Greene ("There's a Whole Lot About a Woman (A Man Don't Know)") and Nat Stuckey ("The Snuff Queen”). But no one sang these songs like Gary Stewart.

Also included are a handful of stripped down departures from the Nashville sound. Recorded in Gary's Williamson County, TN trailer, "Beautiful River" is a gorgeous, solo ballad, complete with his signature whistling. Alongside it is a guitar-vocal demo of "The Snuff Queen" -sourced from a beat-to-hell acetate disc- that puts an altogether different country-blues spin on this early Gary classic. (The studio version of "The Snuff Queen", was released as a B side by Kapp in 1970, and later included on the 1975 MCA compilation LP, "You're Not The Woman You Used To Be"). The LP culminates in a jaw dropping, early recording of "Williamson County", which is unlike anything Gary recorded before or since. A singular performance that needs to be heard to be believed, and almost unrecognizable from the polished version recorded for 1975’s Out of Hand, Gary’s debut LP for RCA. The whereabouts of the other songs Gary recorded that day remains a mystery.

What isn't a mystery is that Gary sings every song here with everything he's got. Whether you're new to the powerful artistry of Gary Stewart, or a long time obsessive, there's much to love within these fully loaded grooves. Delmore couldn't be prouder to have the opportunity to bring more Gary Stewart music into the world.

The digital / CD release contains four bonus tracks, including the complete legendary Mowtown session. Delmore released the first two Motown numbers as a Record Store Day vinyl only single in 2018. Gary's demo of the Four Tops classic "I Can't Help Myself" (Sugar Pie, Honeybunch), is heard here for the first time, and all three are making their digital debuts.

Last month, a definitive biography, Gary Stewart: I Am From the Honky-Tonks, was published by Jimmy McDonough (author of the New York Times bestseller Shakey: Neil Young's Biography). Read more about Jimmy McDonough's Gary Stewart biography on The Perlich Post right here. And check out an interview with Jimmy McDonough over here.

Is the Country Music Hall Of Fame next? It's about damn time. 

Pre-order a copy of Gary Stewart's One Track Mind via Bandcamp right here. Check out a short documentary on Gary Stewart following the track listing below. 

Gary Stewart – One Track Mind

1. One Track Mind

2. Kings And Queens

3. Woman Will Tear The Heart Right Out Of A Man

4. Big Bad Train

5. Living The Life Of A Dog

6. Don't Put A Poor Hand On Me

7. Her Apple Pie

8. My Mind Is On You

9. Iron Bar Motel 02:46

10. The Bottom Of The Pile

11. There's A Whole Lot About A Woman (A Man Don't Know)

12. If You Come Back Darling

13. You Can't Housebreak A Tomcat

14. The Snuff Queen (acetate)

15. Beautiful River (trailer demo)

16. Williamson County

Jimmy McDonough talks about his much anticipated Gary Stewart biography

Check out "Shakey" author Jimmy McDonough's chat about his new Gary Stewart biography, Neil Young and more on the Rock's Back Pages Podcast. 

Here's the scoop from Rock's Back Pages...

For this episode we invite the very entertaining Jimmy McDonough to join us — all the way from Portland, Oregon — and discuss his career as "the king of the crazy biographers."

Our guest explains how he moved (back) to New York from Indiana in the '80s and how he got his foot in the door at the Village Voice with a 1988 profile of country singer Gary Stewart, the subject of his new book. We then hear about the long and painful saga of his extraordinary Neil Young biography Shakey (2002) — and his singular approach to the biographical trade. 

Clips from Amy Linden's 1995 audio interview with Al Green give us the opportunity to ask Jimmy about his 2017 biography of the Reverend Green, after which we finally get to the 40-year gestation of I Am from the Honky Tonks and the story of his obsession with his doomed honky-tonk hero. He explains why the book felt like a mission and why Gary Stewart could and should have been a country superstar.

After Mark quotes from featured writer John Morthland's review of the Monterey Pop Festival (with a namecheck for the late Country Joe McDonald) and from a 1975 interview with Tammy Wynette – another of our guest's biographical subjects — Jasper wraps things up with remarks on the Australian Folk Bitch Trio and the man who manages Yungblud (and "eats challenges for breakfast").

Many thanks to special guest Jimmy McDonough. Gary Stewart: I Am from the Honky-Tonks is published by Wolf+Salmon on April 2 but it's available for pre-order here right now.  

Listen to Rock's Back Pages Podcast Episode 224 right here. Read Jimmy's interview with Norwegian music blogger Olav Nilsen right here. Catch Jimmy on his "Ain't No Grave" reading tour... more dates to follow. 

New biography of honky tonk legend Gary Stewart on the way

Gary Stewart: I Am From The Honky-Tonks by Jimmy McDonough – who wrote the Neil Young bio Shakey – looks quite promising.

Writes author Jimmy McDonough...

"I am thrilled beyond belief to unveil the COVER of GARY STEWART: I AM FROM THE HONKY-TONKS. It was designed by CHRIS “THE CHAMPION” CAMPION, who also created the book’s elegant interior design. Chris had a particular vision for this project, and producing the end result with him has been the most unique collaboration of my career.  It’s a beauty.

"GARY STEWART: I AM FROM THE HONKY-TONKS is the untold, unbelievable story of the absolute KING of the honky-tonks, Gary Stewart. You know him from hits like “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles),” “Out of Hand,” “Drinkin’ Thing,” and many others, but trust me, there is much, much more to the story. This book will be available for pre-order on Amazon and all the usual outlets around the end of the year. It will be shipped out for March delivery.

"Can’t wait that long, you say?  Well, do I have an UNBELIEVABLE OFFER for YOU!

"My publisher Wolf + Salmon is offering something very special that you can order RIGHT NOW – the CADILLAC edition of GARY STEWART: I AM FROM THE HONKY-TONKS. This extremely limited Deluxe Collector’s Edition of the book will ship November 10th and arrive well before Christmas. A special numbered edition (signed by me on a very unique bookplate), it comes in a beautiful faux-leather slipcase sporting that 70s Gary Stewart logo you know and love (stamped in gold!). And accompanying the book is a beautiful, suitable-for-framing title-free print of the complete cover photo, which was shot by Gary’s greatest photographer – his brother, GRANDAL STEWART. 

"The Cadillac Edition will ONLY be available via the Wolf + Salmon website (here's the link: https://www.wolfandsalmon.com/product-page/gary-stewart-i-am-from-the-honky-tonks-collector-s-cadillac-edition), and once they’re gone, they’re GONE! 

"Now, if that’s too rich for your blood, pal, NO BELLY-ACHING. Again, the standard edition will be available for pre-order at the end of the year via the usual outlets – Amazon, Barnes & Noble, bookstores, etc. for March 2026 delivery.

"The is the first release from Wolf +Salmon, a new, fiercely independent publisher. They aren’t Random House, Simon & Schuster, or some other faceless conglomerate. Wolf +Salmon only put out books they believe in with all their HEART and SOUL, and they happen to be big, big fans of Gary Stewart. I thank you for supporting their work. This is a massive tome, well over 500 pages, plus a discography and many unseen photos. Putting this together has been an INSANE labor of love for all of us. Believe it!

"This is an epic story, the last biography I’ll ever do, and the one closest to my heart. Get it!!!

"Thank you to SHANNON ASHBURN, who made it all possible (and gently kicked my ass for the last few decades to get it done). And to TOMMY SCHWARTZ, who knows more about Gary than Gary ever did, and GINA STEWART for FIRE in the HOLE. Also thanks: MASUMI KOBAYASHI for her expert work on the layout/photos! San Diego gumshoe SARAH HELDMAN for additional research!" – Jimmy M