Billy Joe Shaver -The Memphis Suntan Pill Incident -( Kenny Vaughan ) 

What's your favorite Billy Joe Shaver song?

I went to Eddy Shaver’s funeral and burial. Offered condolences to Billy Joe and had a long conversation with Dickey Betts, who taught Eddy on guitar. Billy Joe was real sweet and on one occasion I approached him for an autograph for my wife, who was dying of cancer. He was so kind as he had a wife who had died of cancer. RIP Billy Joe,

Eddie shaver is one of the greatest unknown guitarist of all time

Thanks Otis & Kenny. Everything Kenny had to say about Billy Joe came to my wife & I back a few years. I would go visit my Dad and take my guitar. One song he dearly loved was "Old Chunk of Coal". On his last day of consciousness we sang it for about 20 minutes. I played the song at his funeral- most fitting for him. A bit of time later Billy Joe was coming to the Ark in Ann Arbor. My wife, Paula, says you have to go and tell him how much that song means to you. So we bought tickets and went. Loved the show and the place was packed. Because Paula is in a wheelchair it would be near impossible to get to the performers table after the show in that crowd. So I went in the hall and ran into Billy's bass player and briefly told him to tell Billy we loved the show and about the song. So, I rolled Paula to the elevator, we got on with her aide and went down. The door opened and BAM! Billy Joe Shaver standing right there. He looked at us and when he noticed Paula in her chair, he went right down on one knee and said "Thank you so much for coming to see me, I know it wasn't easy for you" I said "this is Paula" He reached for her hand, gave it a little kiss and he said "Paula Darling". He stood up and thanked us again and I was able to tell him about my Dad and the song. He said "Well you folks are about the best thing that's happened to me today". I said "I know you gotta get upstairs thanks so much for your kindness". He looked at the exit door and hiked one leg in the air, spun on the other heel and hustled to the door to hold it open. Another Kiss for Paula, a handshake for me, and a hug for our caregiver. We went out onto the sidewalk and our aide said "What a nice guy!" She never knew who he was a until that night. "Yes he is" Paula said.

I saw Billy Joe in Corpus Christi, TX in the early 200's. He was in a little bar on a Sunday after church. There weren't many people in the bar. It was after Eddie and his wife passed away. He told us what was what. Great show. Underappreciated.

The book is really good. There's a passage about how his father in law always said "we gotta go fix this" or "we gotta go do that", but what he really meant was "you gotta go fix this" or "you gotta go do that." Damned if I haven't known plenty of sonsabitches just like that! When he snuck off and saw Hank Williams, he said Hank looked right at him for the whole show, like he was singing just for him. I've often thought maybe Hank passed along the gift to Billy Joe. He carried on in fine fashion, so simple, and yet so profound.

All of them. The Dynamite story was another great story told by Billy Joe

I met Billy Jo at the blue note in Columbia Mo on a Sunday night. I had tea with him and the band next door. Billy Joe took us to church his band was the best 3 piece band I ever heard. RiP. BJS 🙏

Haha, classic.... Billy Joe Shaver, man there'll never be another like him.

Ok. Now I gotta go out and buy Billy Joe's book!

Thanks Otis Georgia on a fast train

Kenny is a good guy. Billy was one of a kind. My favorite Billy Joe song is Live Forever.

I saw Billy Joe at Work Play in Birmingham, Al years back. I was close enough for hm to see me singing every song right along with him. His songs were so personable and related to me on so many levels. They’re too many of his songs to nail it down to just one as a favorite. I discovered his music in the early nineties when he was playing with Eddy. Eddy knocked my socks off as an incredible guitar player with the same passion, power and energy comparable only to the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan. Guitar picking like that is “Texas” thing I’m sure. Words can never convey what Billy Joe Shaver’s songs and Eddy’s virtuosity will always mean to me.

I love hearing Kenny tell stories, not to mention one of my favorite players!!!MY FAVORITE BILLY JOE SONG ... it’s a tough one but probably Fast train to GA . It’s one I’ve sang since I was a kid because my Grandparents & my mother would be singing it around the house .

I was driving to Nashville the day Billy Joe died. That meant I heard six and a half hours of stories, interviews, and his songs, while trying to out run a hurricane watch.

Suntan pills was a real thing back in the day, I have no idea if they worked. Good story. Billy Joe wrote some great music.

I could sit and listen to Kenny Vaughan talk for a week and not get tired of it. He was on a video somewhere else with another famous guitarist and in guy interviewsing them stayed out of the way and they talked guitarese, they were so wrapped up in guitars it was like watching a foriegn language movie without the words. I loved it because there is something about Kenny Vaughan that is so real and he comes across as such a great human being listening to him is a treat. Of course Billy Joe Shaver stories could never get old, thank you for putting this on I appreciate it.

The more I hear of this Billy Joe shaver feller the more I like him

Gig stories are the best. Hung out with famous and just great guys who loved music through the seventies and eighties. So many crazy things happened I loved all those memories.

Billy Joe was a legend. Last I time I saw him was at Floores country store. He walked by my, tipped his cap and said howdy. Great show. Also saw him acoustic at county line BBQ. My face song by billy is the devil made me do it the first time. The second time I done it on my own.

Did a gig with Billy Joe in Austin back in the 80’s. Absolutely one of the nicest people I ever met. Still have a picture of me and him at that gig. One of my prized possessions.

Eddy was brilliant!!! RIP Eddy and Billy Joe THANKS FOR THE MUSIC

Nothing better after a VERY LONG Day. Then a beautiful graduation walk through ceremony with my daughter now officially a middle school girl with my family. Followed by a stressful rush through our local Kroger store for last minute graduation gifts, junk food, & coffee & energy drinks of course. Then FINALLY with my kindergarten & elementory school graduates tucked in bed. The wife legit passed out with exhaustion. John Prine, Far From Me playing on vinyl in the background as I pour my last night cap cup of coffee for the night & light the day's last cigarette. Then, like magic & mystery of life. I finally wind down, look at my phone. Then there it is! A notification from @RU-vid and a new video from my friend, Mr. Otis Gibbs! Just Perfection to end my evening & night here in my part of this big old goofy world in Paradise. Muhlenberg County, KY. As far as favorite Billy Joe Shaver song. To be totally honest if that's okay, sir. I have never heard a bad Billy Joe Shaver song. Nor have I ever heard a bad John Prine song. Just like I've never listened to a bad episode of your old podcast Thanks For Giving A Damn With Otis Gibbs. Nor never viewed or listened to a bad Otis Gibbs video here on RU-vid. Certainly never heard a bad Otis Gibbs song either! Thank You, Otis! For everything you've done & continue doing. It's helped me greatly, truly, & genuinely along with you through some dark days & times. And through good days & times as well. What a beautiful thing, sir. What a beautiful ride along & down this lost highway of life as our old pal, Hank would say. So sincerely Thank You, Sir. I would absolutely love you to be a part of a John Prine tribute here in Muhlenberg County at Paradise Park. That would truly, & genuinely be a beautiful thing to me, sir. Thank You, & Thank You sincerely for your time, sir!

"I'm just an old chunk of coal" is a great one. Thanks Otis!

Great story Otis. I was support for Billy Joe 3 times. Once in St Louis, once in Chicago, and once in Champaign IL. In Chicago there were 50 people, in St Louis there were 30, and in Champaign there were maybe 20. Same deal, this guy is an idol to me and no one came to see him. He didnt give a shit tho. He performed like there were 20K. Kenny and Jimmy Lester both played on my record, Hinges. Beasts, both of them.

Billy was one of my best friends and I miss him everyday. We did a lot of those little shows in strip malls with him. All over the country. He was still doing it up until he passed.

I never knew much about Billie Joe, until Todd Snyder. He was really my gateway to many others.

Went to see Billy Joe at The Governor Hindmarsh hotel in Adelaide South Australia,great night and met the man after the show.Just a great guy far from home who took the time to share a few words with a stranger after putting on a show all night .Gentleman through and through

The local band I play with practiced on Sunday, and did a couple of my favorites, Old Five and Dimers and Georgia on a Fast Train. Gotta bring out my very favorite, Old Chunk of Coal. Kenny Vaughn is a guitar god. And he’s a great human being. Sure do love him with the Fabulous Superlatives.

Always hard to pick a favorite - anything off of the album Old Five and Dimers Like Me.

Kenny Vaughn is a natural story teller that has a great memory, l could listen to him forever,sounds like he's met alot of good performers. I've always been a huge fan of Billy Joe Shaver , and Kenny Vaughn is a great guitar player , He's got to be a well rounded musician to have played with so many different musicians with different stiles .

Great stories! Suntan pills were carotene (the pigment that makes carrots orange). Depending on your body chemistry, they could turn you yellow, orange, or red.

I gotta say I love billy Joe shaver. Would like to write one song as good as the 100’s he wrote. Incredible. Gotta read his book now if I can find it. Ride me down easy, honky tonk heroes and tell me Virginia are 3 faves. Plus fast train to Georgia ain’t bad neither. Thanks Otis.

I’ve seen Kenny playing in Marty Stuart’s band while they were touring with Merle Haggard. I had never heard of or seen him before & he stole the show with his guitar.

I was lucky enough to play with Billy Joe in 1989 in Australia. Kenny is spot on Billy Joe was a honest down to earth guy with a great sense of humour and a brilliant wordsmith fond memories.

I don't know what's my favorite Billy Joe Shaver song but I know that Kenny Vaughan is one of my favorite living guitar players (and a damned funny storyteller...)

"You Asked Me To" - It's an easy song to play, and everytime I sang it somewhere, by the time you get through the first line, the dance floor is packed and the band got a strong round of appreciation after it was over - thank you Otis and Kenny ('Denver Kenny'!) for these stories.

Read that Billy Joe Shaver book tonight, couldn't put it down. Phenomenal, what a life he lived.

I'm just an old chunk of coal. My first exposure to Billy

I've only seen Billy Joe Shaver twice, but loved both shows. His book is a great read. Hard to pick a favorite song, but I like the live stuff with Eddy.

You have got to have Kenny on again! His impersonations of Billy are great. Kenny is the real deal as well as Marty Stuart (they don't need pedals😎)

The three best America songwriters in the last 50 years are Bob Dylan, Paul Westerberg and Billy Joe Shaver. Nice live version out there of Paul singing Live Forever by BJS

Can't pick a favorite; first one I ever heard though was "Bottom Dollar". I was in a band that opened for him and his band with Eddie playing a Gretsch. Backstage I told him "I've got your songs done by Waylon and Mike Auldridge, and Tennessee Ernie Ford and....." he said "well you need to hear them done by me!" and he handed me a cd.

Thanks for this, Kenny is a national treasure..... Period.

Billy Joe shook my hand in Johnson City Tennessee. He was strong!! And unusual strong to!! Country from the bone out👍

Grrrrreat! That Gentleman seems like a true gem. Really enjoy your pieces with him.

Another winner Otis, you get these guys swearing to, attesting & confessing to some wonderful tales, trials & tribulations.........

All of em.. He is only 2nd to Hank Sr as a songwriter/performer.. Eddy Shavers "Necessary Evil" could possibly be the best song ever recorded.. Bless em both.

I love. Listening to all of the stories from Otis but I could listen to Kenny Vaughn all day long!

Thanks Otis. Kenny Vaughan is in hes on right a player and student of many jondras of music an a American Treasure. and a humble guy.

Heart of Texas. And whole set on Tramp on Your Street...Great an' a Classic ...

Live forever

I met Billy Joe once-we were both flying from Nashville to Austin. He'd played the night before and I missed the show as I was hanging with my Nashville family branch. He did have a twinkle in his eye but might have been a wee bit hungover-not real talkative to a stranger so I gave him a wide berth. I've seen him a couple of time but regret never seeing Eddie play. I do remember hearing them on the radio in Austin once and Eddie's playing stopped me in my tracks. Favorite cut-I'm Just an Old Chunk of Coal -I recently used it as the sound track to a slide show I built for my Uncle's 90th Birthday Party

Hottest Thing In Town...hands down...but I'ma girl. He has so many to choose from. I was at the Shed in Maryville, TN at a Billy Joe show. I was the last person in a long line to meet him. It took about an hour for me to get to him. I didn't have anything for him to sign, so I just opened my arms up like Jesus and said, "I love you so much. Thank you for all the good songs!" Well, I didn't get the word 'songs' out of my mouth, because when he saw my open arms, he stood up and come at me with one arm out and hit me on the fore head so hard and yelled, "You have been HEALED! Now, go my child and sin no more!" I didn't really enjoy gettin' hit in the head like that, it rang my bell a little...but I took it as a badge of honor, coming from him. In fact, I wonder how many other people he did that to? Did he heal you guys? hehehehe

Wow! So nice to hear the stories from those who were there… Kenny is a great Entertainer, beyond musicians… just plain old wonderful.

Now I have got to go find that book! Thanks Ottis!😁

Thank you for this, love Billy Joe. There are so many great songs, 'Live Forever' is one, best version on the 1998 release 'Victory'. The line about raising children, 'don't let the darkness take em' don't let them feel forsaken just led them safetly to the light' really gets me every time. Had a rerun of the great documentary 'The Portrait Of Billy Joe' a couple days ago, such a beautiful person. Met him in Malmoe, Sweden after a gig in a small club there in 2008, won't ever forget it.

Great post Otis. I never heard a BJS song i didn't like. The Honky Tonk Heroes album turned me on to Waylon Jennings and Billy Joe Shaver all at once. I have been a huge fan of both men ever since. Hope you have some more Kenny Vaughn content for us. Kenny is another one of my heros.

Great stories as always. Laugh out loud funny picturing them sitting in the car ...red. I'm laughing again now. Thanks, brothers.

I live in Waco, one of my good friends was at the bar where Billy shot that guy.. he was a witness in the trial and said Billy was brutally honest at the trial. He'd be worth an interview about it, he's hilarious Mikey Strickland Brucevill-Eddy Tx

Kinney is one of the nicest most humble guys you will ever meet. So Dadgum talented on the guitar. I met him once after The Superlatives played a gig at The Foundry in Athens, Georgia. We talked outside at the bus and he signed a telecaster I had. Great guy, fun night!! Thanks Kinney.

I got to meet BJS after he played a show at the cactus cafe here in Austin. He was extremely nice and talked and talked and talked. I think he was just happy that we were into his music. As a black man in Texas in my mid 20’s he could not have been nicer. Was a huge relief how friendly he was. 🎉became an even bigger fan after that encounter. I bought him and his band a beer and he bought me a shot of Jack. We downed it and then he said they needed to get going, but he shook my hand again and even gave me a guitar pick which is still sitting in my office! BJS one of the absolute best songwriters ever!

Otis, thank you for this. Billy Joe Shaver was one of a kind. I am fortunate to have known him.

What a great story Otis Billy Joe was a one of a kind man What a song writer Fast train to Georgian Great song man Thanks pal Keep it up

I've been a huge fan of Kenny Vaughn's guitar work for a long time. I had no idea he was one of the coolest storytellers on the planet as well. Thanks Otto for "sharing" Kenny with us all! I bet the two of you have had some laughs! (wish I could be a fly on the wall)

Black Rose is probably my favorite. Willy The Wandering Gypsy, Wacko From Waco, Ride Me Down Easy, and Tramp On Your Street could also be....depending on the day and my mood. And at some point Billy Joe and Dickey Betts were running buddies. The Allmans even covered a BJS song, Sweet Mama. I cannot imagine more of a hell raising duo than those two. I'd love to hear some of those stories.

Well that was awesome. Favorite BJS song I've just gotta go with Georgia On A Fast Train.

I'm gonna live forever

Gosh, my favorite song of Billy's has to be Live Forever- I've seen him do it and I believe him. I have a bit of a Billy Joe tale- I met him twice and twice he made me blush. He said I looked like a country girl with hay in my hair, and he'd like to see me in the morning sometime. Yikes! I was terrified and pretty flattered all at the same time. He is intense, looks you right in the eye- the man always meant what he said...but I declined on both occasions. The world lost a heck of guy, full on spirit- and loco like a hurricane. And I aim to be continually inspired by him!

I'm going to live forever, hands down my favorite. Kenny's a great story teller

Love to hear more about eddy. As a Young guitar player in the 90s I was blown away by Eddy's playing. And still am. Thanks for sharing these stories Otis. I still make my living with my guitar and it's nice to have these stories to let you know you're not alone sometimes.

I saw Billy Joe Shaver under similar circumstances. His son looked about 19 or 20 at the time. It was a great show, so many great songs.

Otis, love the accounts given by so many great artists. Would love to hear some adventures about Ramblin Jack Elliott

I have no idea what a suntan pill is and I'm not sure I want to know.

"Love is So Sweet" is my favorite, on my favorite album, "The Earth Rolls On." I have that amazing book, "Honky Tonk Hero." 😊

Thanks Otis! I love cousin Kenny and I think Billy Joe is definitely underated. My favorite song is If you don't love Jesus. But honestly I've never heard a bad one.

Saw Billy Joe at a Bugs Henderson Show in Norman OK in 2010. Bugs invited him up about 2/3 of the way thru his show and he and Bugs did a couple duets together. They were magic together and a very memorable evening.

I’ve never heard of a fern bar lol. Thank you for sharing these stories with us Otis very cool man. My favorite Billy Joe Shaver song is Georgia On A Fast Train

Hmmm, haven't listened to Billy Joe in awhile, so time to pull some out. Great stories! Thank you Otis and Kenny.

Another awesome video, Otis. Thanks, Man. Billy Joe was a dear friend and one of my personal heroes. He was bigger than life. Kenny, although I have never e Ben met him, has been one of my personal heroes for many years now. This video is over the top. Thanks Again, Otis. I hope we can hook up someday. I have so many stories to tell about guys I know you are into. Much Love, My Musical Bro.

One of the coolest guys in music talking about another one of the coolest guys hosted by another cool guy... it don't get no better

I love all these stories that Kenny tells , thanks for all the cool videos

The Devil Made Me Do It is my favorite Billy Joe song.

Love this stuff. Grew up listening to a lot of outlaw country music.. the power of song and story billy joe nailed it. It’s so badass to hear that his personality fits instead of just being a lier like most people have to be to write great haha

Otis, man these stories are priceless! I'm just not sure if they make them like Billy Joe Shaver anymore. Thank you for the great content. Maybe you should write a book!

This whole story (as with a lot of the stories here) should be shot and released as a short story film . I can just picture a phone ringing and a guy in underwear answering and hearing murmering on the phone and the first real words we hear are him say “ Billy that’s 3 hours away………. I’ve gotta get dressed. I’ll load up my drums. You got an address there”. Awesome

Thanks Otis! Great stories from Kenny.

Worked all night and can't do this. He is played in my house,truck,head and at my funeral. Pick a favorite? No thanks,I'm going to bed.

Thank you, Otis for sharing this. Cousin Kenny is a wonderful musician and a fine storyteller. Enjoyed the "ferns bar" story greatly. Gotta pay for gas....

suntan pills ?!? 🤣🤣what a legend ! Gotta go find that book 🤙🏽

This is just so good. I could hear these anecdotes all day. Question: Does Kenny ever un-don those glasses? No judgement! Love this.

Love Kenny and Billy Joe!

I interviewed Billy Joe Shaver somewhere back in the 90s for a magazine or paper I was writing for at the time. He seemed like a genuinely sweet man, very personable and kind of shy I thought. I was sad to hear about the shooting and then that he passed away. What an incredible talent he was!

''God's number one. That makes us number two. So that way there's no competition you see.'' Billy Joe Shaver

Love it when you and Kenny tell storys.

Man Otis, I really enjoy these stories and the new format. I love the original format as well, but getting it from the horses like Kenny is just great! Best of luck to you and yours

Use to be live forever but after Eddie died and I saw his video freedom's child and listen to the lyrics it became freedom's child

This made my night, thanks for such a great video remembering a man that can never be replaced.

Great clip. I'm gonna live forever !

Omaha, Black Rose, Georgia on a fast train, Honky-tonk Heroes, I'm gonna live forever. I saw Paul Westerberg live once (with a full band) the only song he played that he didn't write was a Rocking version of I'm Gonna Live Forever.