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Townes Van Zandt is born in Fort Worth, Texas.
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Townes sees Elivs on TV for the 1st time.
Source-Q4"Seeing Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan
Show was the starting point for me becoming a guitar player. My sister had two
or three of her girlfriends over to watch it, and they were screaming, and I was
just a little kid, barely allowed in the room. I just thought that Elvis had all the
money in the world, all the Cadillacs and all the girls, and all he did was play the
guitar and sing. That made a big impression on me. " -
Shock Therapy, Loss of Long Term Memory
Source
Treatment was in response to alcoholism and manic depression -
Van Zandt began playing regular shows at the Jester Lounge in Houston for $10 per night
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1977 Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas was released
If I Needed You His most critically acclaimed album. A big fan, Bob Dylan, wanted to collaborate with Van Zandt, but Van Zandt was not into it because of Dylan's popularity. -
"If I Needed You" Popularized by Emmylou Harris & Don Williams
Source This cemented Van Zandt's importance as the best as a singer-songwriter. -
Death
Van Zandt went one week with a broken femoral neck fracture before going to the hospital because of recording obligations with Steve Shelly of Sonic Youth and stubborness. These recording sessions were cancelled because Van Zandt was being difficult and drunk. Van Zandt eventually relented to medical attention. As a late term alcoholic, detox would kill him and this wasn't an option. He checked out of the hospital against medical advice and passed away in the early hours of the next morning.
