Ahh, old Townes
TVZ was one of a group of Songwriters such as Willie Nelson who created new directions in country music and helped to further define Texas as a central place in American roots music. He is essentially Real Country as opposed to that ill defined Alt scene. A great songwriter, he also became an Eminence Grise to a host of younger writers who came to try their luck on Music Row and Rodney Crowell has cited TVZ as a key influence on his own artistic develeopment.
His key work is 'Pancho and Lefty' and you can hear a live cut of it on a great 'various artists' record entitled:
Title: 'Texas Outlaws'
Audio CD (April 8, 2003)
Label: Compadre Records
ASIN: B00008OM4P
If you are going to dip into all things Nashville I suggest you go straight to the hard stuff and bypass all that dreary stuff by the likes of Ryan Adams and Will Oldham. Country music is brash and ballsy and not sappy and dirge ridden.
Pat Green and Robert Earl Keen are also worth checking out.
Don't forget, Satan is real
