Oasis, Cage The Elephant @ Rogers Stadium, Monday

Here are a couple of fan-shot clips of Oasis in action with the rain pouring down at Rogers Stadium in Toronto last night. 

Sloan shares Logan's Run-inspired trailer for "Live Forever"

"Live Forever" is taken from the forthcoming Sloan album "Based on the Best Seller" due in September from Yep Roc. 

Here's the scoop...
The brand new Sloan album is called "Based on the Best Seller" and will be released September 26th! Check the link (https://ffm.to/basedonthebestseller) to pre-order the vinyl & CD, to pre-save on streaming and to listen to the new song "Live Forever"... watch the trailer below. 

Willie Nelson takes "Country Album" and "Country Solo" Grammys

Here's the scoop: 

Congratulations to Willie Nelson on his Grammy win last night! The legendary songwriter was awarded Best Country Album for "A Beautiful Time" and Best Country Solo Performance for his rendition of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Live Forever” at last night’s 65th Annual Grammy Awards. It's a big win for Willie, Billy Joe and real country music. 

The song is the opening track of the critically acclaimed album Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver which was released last year on New West Records & Pedernales Records. The 12-song set was co-produced by Charlie Sexton & Freddy Fletcher and featured renditions of Shaver songs lovingly recorded by George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Nathaniel Rateliff, Ryan Bingham and Nikki Lane, Steve Earle, Edie Brickell, Rodney Crowell, Margo Price (featuring Joshua Hedley), Allison Russell, and Amanda Shires in addition to Nelson. Upon its release, Nelson, who once stated “Billy Joe Shaver is definitely the best writer in Texas,” said  “He was just real; there wasn’t one phony drop of blood in him.” 

About Billy Joe Shaver 

In 1965, Billy Joe Shaver hitchhiked to Nashville and convinced the country singer Bobby Bare to listen to his songs. Bare quickly signed Shaver to a $50 a week job as a songwriter and recorded his song “Ride Me Down Easy.” Kris Kristofferson’s rendition of “Good Christian Soldier” and Tom T. Hall’s recording of “Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me” soon followed. Shaver’s breakout moment came in 1973 when Waylon Jennings’ landmark album Honky Tonk Heroes was released. Hailed as the first “Outlaw Country” record, ten of its eleven songs were written or co-written by Shaver. One of which, “You Asked Me To,” was a top 10 hit for Jennings and was later recorded by Elvis Presley. Shaver’s legendary debut album, Old Five and Dimers Like Me, was produced by Kristofferson and issued in 1973 as well. He went on to release more than 20 albums, including the Grammy-nominated Everybody’s Brother in 2007. His final album, 2014’s acclaimed Long in the Tooth was his first to chart in Billboard’s Top Country Albums. Shaver's songs have been recorded and performed by Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, The Allman Brothers, and countless other legendary artists and his signature song, “Live Forever,” was performed by Robert Duvall in the 2009 film Crazy Heart. He was honored with the first ever Americana Music Award for Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting in 2002, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Billy Joe Shaver died on October 28th, 2020.

Get a copy of the Billy Joe Shaver tribute album Live Forever from New West Records right here.

Listen to Willie's version of "Live Forever" followed by Billy Joe Shaver's performance of his song on Austin City Limits with support from his pal Willie Nelson and son Eddy Shaver below. 

Happy Birthday Billy Joe Shaver!

Celebrating the birthday of country great Billy Joe Shaver with the announcement of a new tribute album and some clips.

Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver

In honor of his birthday today, New West Records & Pedernales Records are proud to announce Live Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver to be released November 11th, 2022. The 12-song set was co-produced by Charlie Sexton & Freddy Fletcher and features renditions of Shaver songs lovingly recorded by Willie Nelson and Lucinda Williams, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Nathaniel Rateliff, Ryan Bingham and Nikki Lane, Rodney Crowell, Margo Price, Allison Russell, and others.  

 

The Texas singer-songwriter who died on October 28th, 2020 was an integral member of the Outlaw Country movement. A favorite among music legends, Johnny Cash once called Shaver “my favorite songwriter,” while Willie Nelson declared, “Billy Joe is definitely the best writer in Texas.” Upon the announcement of Live Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver, Nelson said, “He was just real; there wasn’t one phony drop of blood in him.” AllMusic called Shaver’s songs “among the greatest in the whole history of the (country) genre” while the Washington Post said, “When the country outlaws were collecting their holy writings, Billy Joe Shaver was carving out Exodus.” 

 

Co-producer Freddy Fletcher wrote of Shaver in the liner notes, “His influence on the greatest of artists is what inspired this project. The album is a testament to his words and their deep impact on wonderful songwriters and performers. He’s a hero to so many, and we are honored to pay homage to his legacy.”

 

On the topic of songwriting, Billy Joe Shaver once said “when you write songs, and you write good songs, people will always remember you. Words will always outlive us. And if your name is attached to those words, you’re gonna live forever.” 

 

Live Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver will be available across digital retailers, on compact disc, and standard black vinyl. A limited to 500 “Old Chunk of Coal” colour vinyl edition will be available via Vinyl, Me Please, a limited to 300 Purple, Blue & Green marble vinyl edition will be available via the Magnolia Record Club, and a limited to 300 Gold & Green colour vinyl edition will be available via Heady Wax Fiends. A limited to 500 “Denim” vinyl edition is now available for pre-order via NEW WEST RECORDS right here: http://newwst.com/liveforever. 

Watch a couple of Billy Joe Shaver clips following the Live Forever track listing below. 

About Billy Joe Shaver... 

In 1965, Billy Joe Shaver hitchhiked to Nashville and convinced the country singer Bobby Bare to listen to his songs. Bare quickly signed Shaver to a $50 a week job as a songwriter and recorded his song “Ride Me Down Easy.” Kris Kristofferson’s rendition of “Good Christian Soldier” and Tom T. Hall’s recording of “Willie the Wandering Gypsy and Me” soon followed. Shaver’s breakout moment came in 1973 when Waylon Jennings’ landmark album Honky Tonk Heroes was released. Hailed as the first “Outlaw Country” record, ten of its eleven songs were written or co-written by Shaver. One of which, “You Asked Me To,” was a top 10 hit for Jennings and was later recorded by Elvis Presley. Shaver’s legendary debut album, Old Five and Dimers Like Me, was produced by Kristofferson and issued in 1973 as well. He went on to release more than 20 albums, including the Grammy-nominated Everybody’s Brother in 2007. His final album, 2014’s acclaimed Long in the Tooth was his first to chart in Billboard’s Top Country Albums. Shaver's songs have been recorded and performed by Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, The Allman Brothers, and countless other legendary artists and his signature song, “Live Forever,” was performed by Robert Duvall in the 2009 film Crazy Heart. He was honored with the first ever Americana Music Award for Lifetime Achievement in Songwriting in 2002, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Billy Joe Shaver died on October 28th, 2020.

 

 

Live Forever: A Tribute To Billy Joe Shaver

1. Willie Nelson (w/ Lucinda Williams) - Live Forever

2. Ryan Bingham (w/ Nikki Lane) - Ride Me Down Easy

3. Rodney Crowell - Old Five And Dimers Like Me

4. Miranda Lambert - I’m Just An Old Chunk Of Coal (But I’m Gonna Be A Diamond Someday)

5. Edie Brickell - I Couldn’t Be Me Without You

6. Nathaniel Rateliff - You Asked Me To

7. George Strait - Willy The Wandering Gypsy And Me

8. Amanda Shires - Honky Tonk Heroes

9. Steve Earle - Ain’t No God In Mexico

10. Margo Price - Ragged Old Truck

11. Willie Nelson - Georgia On A Fast Train

12. Allison Russell - Tramp On Your Street

LINKS
Variety Billy Joe Shaver to be saluted by Willie Nelson and country all-stars with tribute album worthy of an outlaw

NOW Magazine Recharged Shaver by Tim Perlich (July 19, 2007)

Bartees Strange makes network TV debut, covers Judee Sill

Bartees Strange knocked out "Boomer"  on Late Night with Seth Meyers and also voiced a version of Judee Sill's "The Pearl."

Listen to Guilty Simpson & Self Serve's "Live Forever"

Another life lesson from Detroit's finest, Guilty Simpson – check it out. 

R.I.P. Billy Joe Shaver, 1939-2020

Sadly, Honky tonk hero Billy Joe Shaver passed away after suffering a massive stroke. His songs will live on just like he said.  

Replacements salute Billy Joe Shaver in Austin

The Replacements knocked out a reasonable facsimile of Shaver's Live Forever at ACL Fest.    Photo by Craig Laskey