On the first crackling track of the Be Here to Love Me album, the late, great Townes Van Zandt shares words that, aside from his distinct Texan drawl, could come from any other artist. “I don’t envision a very long life for myself,” he starts. “Like I think my life will run out before my work does. I’ve designed it that way.”
As it turns out, the Fort Worth native—who turned away from his family’s oil money to pursue life as a traveling musician—was right. (His relatives were the namesakes for East Texas’ Van Zandt County). He died of a heart attack in 1997 at age 52, after years of struggling with addiction. But he left the world with brilliant, shadowy songs that, despite their undertones of longing and leaving, still light up whatever is darkest in us at the time.
He’s already been inducted into the 2012 Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association Hall of Fame in 2012 (Steve Earle performed on his behalf); he was announced as a 2015 Austin City Limits Hall of Fame inductee; and this weekend Arts Fifth Avenue in Fort Worth will host Townes Van Zandt and the Fort Worth Blues and HomeTOWNES Fest, which includes a screening of Margaret Brown’s Be Here to Love Me and sets of his songs played by local artists.
Ahead of this weekend’s festivities, we’ve compiled 10 of our favorite Van Zandt tracks here.
