Among the many songs Billy wrote were "Georgia on a Fast Train" and "Sweet Mama"
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/billy-joe-shaver-songwriter-dead-obituary-1082610/
Just saw this sad news while I was checking an online news site. He was one of my all-time favorites, second only to Johnny Cash as far as the "Outlaw Country" genre goes for me. Great songwriter and performer. I got to see him perform live three times in about a 10 year span and he put on a great show each time.
Once, when I was in Austin, TX for the SXSW festival, I went to see a screening of a biography about him. After the movie ended, there was an announcement about him being in the theater. He walked out in front of the stage (wearing the exact same clothes he was wearing in much of the film), picked up a microphone and started taking questions from the audience. He seemed to be a great conversationalist and he made me laugh out loud several times during the Q&A session.
R.I.P.
I found Billy Joe through Dickey... I believe they were road buddies so to speak...
"your gonna live forever" rip
@redhouse1969 That is true. Dickey was deeply impressed with all those songs Billy Joe wrote for a Waylon Jennings album.
Porkchopbob not sure how accurate this is but I heard it from two reliable sources. Billy Joe's son Eddy loved Dickey's playing and got Dickey's help on guitar. After Dickey finished the lessons, Dickey gave him two guitars out of Dickey's collection. A 1955 Stratocaster that he is playing on the Fast Train to Georgia you posted and a Gibson ES-335 that was owned by Duane Allman. Eddy took to the Strat and it was Eddy's number one for the rest of his life except when Eddy was lead guitarist for Dwight Yokum who required Telecasters in his band at that time.
The story about the Strat is Gregg Allman traded it to Dickey for an old car Dickey had. The ES-335 which Duane owned also came Dickey's way from Gregg. Of course the resinator guitar Duane plays on Little Martha was given to Dickey by Gregg. That is it Dickey is holding on the cover of Highway Call.
When Eddy died in 2000, Willie Nelson wanted the Strat and ES-335 and last I heard they are in a vault at Willie's house.
Wow , Jerry Jeff and Billy Joe In less than a week , Rest In Peace
from Dave Alvin's Facebook page ...
