Townes Van Zandt

USA, 1968–1997

American songwriter (1944-1997). He sold almost no records and wrote some of the plainest and hardest songs in the language - 'Pancho and Lefty', 'To Live Is to Fly' - living itinerantly and drinking himself to death at 52.

MusicRoots documents 5 artists who influenced Townes Van Zandt and 1 artist Townes Van Zandt influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Townes Van Zandt?

• Hank Williams — Hank Williams is the plain, short country song Van Zandt wrote against and out of.
• Lightnin' Hopkins — Hopkins's fingerpicking was Van Zandt's model for the guitar, and he opened for him in Houston.
• Bob Dylan — Early Dylan showed him that a country song could carry that much language.
• Woody Guthrie — Guthrie is the other half of the folk inheritance Van Zandt worked in.
• Elvis Presley — Seeing Elvis on television as a boy is what set him on it at all.

Which artists did Townes Van Zandt influence?

• Steve Earle — Earle attached himself to Van Zandt as a teenager, stayed his friend for life, and recorded an album of nothing but his songs.