“It’s a purely selfish gesture. You don’t know how good you play.” Coming from one of the best poets of that generation. Guy and that entire group probably scrapped better songs than most of Nashville takes to the air.
Guy Clarke is absolutely blasted and it's priceless. Even rip roaringly sauced, he has more talent and ability than I'd ever dream of having. What an all star line-up.
Sure you did. There's something about the music of the early 70s that you only had to be there. This just takes me back in a way that I don't know if I should cry or just holler.
When I was 15 I hung out with Rodney at his mom's house. When he found out I was an aspiring songwriter he asked me to play him one. After I was done he told me he didn't like my song but he gave me the best advice about the craft I ever got. He told me to write about what I know. Later he said he didn't mean to hurt my feelings. I asked him how many 15 year kids get advice from a songwriter with his credentials. I told him I could not have been more pleased with what he told me. He is still my songwriting hero 21 years later.
Had agreat friend who hung out at times when they would be in Austin Clarksville area he needed a ride one day Several of these Masters were there including Townes van Zandt...didn't play just listening to Master at work...did have a drink are whatever was being passed along...didn't get to stay ling kinda of a private gathering...will live in my soul Forever...ol man way down in TX jd
We used to have guitar get-togethers like this when I was in my late teens and early 20's. Sat around a table, strong drinks and fresh weed. The Band was everyone's favourite to play. Some of the best memories of my life. Got a couple kids and a wife now so it doesn't fly but once in a while, things get fired up.
Cantarooots, we did the same. Let yer kids and wife be a part of it. I grew up seeing my parents and their friends get wasted, singing, dancing in the street on our culdesac. We made a fire in a trash can in the street and brought lawn chairs. We called them Gutter Parties. No one every complained because everyone was invited and wanted to come. I’ve seen my parents totally blotto. Live a little!
We used to sit in the formal living room at my Aunt's house in Jamestown, CA. My uncle on the upright piano, my cuz on the organ, my other cuz on guitar along with myself. Then there was their always known him hair to his waist Indian friend Jim playing magic with his violin/fiddle! My uncle had short fingers but he could BURN-UP the keyboards...his hand action a blur! God thanks for those times!
Then there’s those of us that grew up with this type of music on the back porch so to speak. The downside I guess is that it makes us way too critical of today’s music.
This is amazing. Great to see these folks making memories from Christmas Eve 1975. I just found this video after doing a Rodney Crowell search. The thread below helped identify the musicians. Here they all are in one place: Far left playing the lead guitar is Billy Callery who later wrote Willie Nelson's "Hands on the Wheel" , a song that was on the legendary Redheaded Stranger album. Next to him is a very young Steve Earle playing and singing most of this song. The guy with the cigarette is the late Richard Dobson. Next to him is Rodney Crowell. Beside him is Susanna Clark and her husband Guy Clark. Both are now gone. The dobro player is Jim McGuire whose main thing was photography. What a lineup.
rmcfar5 i guess I did not remember Guy and Susanna are gone. With their friend Townes, now I suppose. This who Bunch were awesome Steve- Rodney - Roseanne - Jerry Jeff is not there but should have been. These guys lived hard and played music equally as hard.
I thought for sure that the guy with the cigarette was Steve Young. Thank you for identifying him. Many great musicians and song writers don't get the recognition they deserve.
Very nice of you to put in the effort to provide us all with this info... I've done my best to confirm with google images and the like, and you're spot on. Hopefully this will be incorporated in the main description, but I think it's fine and dandy that it's close to the top of the comments section at least!
Man, this video is like a direct memory jack to my childhood. The clothes, the wall paneling, the people enjoying each others company, feels like i'm watching my own family.
Saw him in Memphis in '91, I couldn't recall who opened for him if you had a gun to my head, but I can confirm the energy levels of a young Steve Earle performance are off the charts. Zevon already had cancer in '87 didn't he? I have a right arm and left nut available for trade for that ticket if you have a time machine.
I've never seen Steve Earle this young. I was late to the party. He reminds me of Gram Parsons here. Totally commited and passionate about Country music. ❤❤❤
If you dont already know my friend, but I'm sure you do, this comes from the movie heartworn highways about a two-hour documentary of just stuff like this. Absolutely one of my favorite movies.
Life was simpler back then. It was all about booze, cigarettes, and music. I love seeing the late great Richard J. Dobson sitting between Steve Earl and Rodney Crowell!
It's also cool that Susanna Clark's painting, The Bouncing Apple, is on the wall. The one for which Townes bought her white paint with some of his royalty money 🙂
It's very interesting to see a young Rodney Crowell and Steve Earle learning the songwriting craft from the older guys. I love The Houston Kid and a lot of Steve Earle stuff.
I met Steve and his son Justin back in the 80s. They came to our record shop in West Nashville. He's been a friend every since. Once Steve saved me a seat on the first row at the Bluebird Cafe. The line up, Steve, Guy Clark and Townes Van Zant. I knew I was experiencing history that night.
He played 'Me and Julio Down by the School Yard' at my high school's talent show in 1972. He won the popular vote, but a teacher stepped in and gave it to the Flamenco dancer.
Music to my ears! Rocking this tonight, Loudly. I'm gonna Stay a little longer and play this song a dozen more times.... Beautiful. The Harvest Angel Adam
I remember times like this. I loved them tons. My parents were country and western musicians and when itr was down time,they'd pick up a guitar and start a Jam Session like this one. But it usuallt lasted clean till dawn. XD
I would have given ANYTHING to be at that table or even in the room. So many of my music heroes. I had the good fortune to meet most of them over the years.
I couldn't play enough of Steve and Rodney's music at W.E.G.N 93.3 Evergreen,Al in the summer of 1985. It was my 1st radio gig and I was 18 yrs old and fresh out of high school from Akron, Oh. For the next 23 years their music became part of every on-air shift I did. They influenced more musicians than most people are aware of and they became, in my opinion, the next wave of "Outlaw Country". Today there are those who fit that title among they're piers and fans but most are struggling to fill those big shoes.
@@jamiehalleran6421 Thanks for the clarification! Sorry, I got that wrong! Deleted my comment as it is silly! Don't forget Richard Dobson who sadly passed away in 2017.
@@masterfroods8571 its all good i can see how the mistake was made. Don't know how I forgot Richard Dobson he was was an amazing singer/guitarist and an even better song writer.
Guy Clark and Rodney together back then, I only discovered them a few years ago. Kind of glad I came home to Tennessee in time to meet Guy and get to know both of them in retro... like this. They look and sound just like I imagined they would back then. I was the same age as Rodney in 1975...I have heard more live music in the past couple of years--than the rest of my life combined. Sure heard a lot of country music on the radio before I went to work and had a family of my own up in Connecticut. Retiring here in Tennessee has been a blessing. I finally found my way to Nashville...
if i could go back in time, any time any place in history, it would be right in that room for that night, this "Christmas eav 1975 at guy clarks house" video is the coolest thing i have ever seen. must have watch it a hundred times already
killing Hitler would actually be really bad because the war got us out of the depression and actually improved the world with all of the new technological innovations.
@@PapagenoMF never worried about it then. We were young. As of now seeing friends die w lung disease and cirrhosis. Some people cont to smoke/drink all their life and live to be old. Thats a hard life i would imagine or maybe for them a very happy one
This makes me crave a good old get together jam session... ( sighs ) Hopefully this year we can get back together Just like this merry bunch. Take care
Rodney Crowell is a fantastic songwriter. I don't think he write this, but he has written alot of great songs. He may be the most overlooked & underrated person in Country music history.
But the writer was a Texan so they are paying homage to a Texas legend, Bob Wills. Great songs are great songs, no matter the decade. Stay All Night will still be sung in guitar pulls in 2060.
I was able to sit in in Clarksville in Austin not playing with a friend and Brother thrre was Talent all in a circle around that room fly on the wall Townes, Steve Earl Gary P. Nunn and a couple others but they talk that stuff with each other bout their Music and lessons learned from that day a life time of memories ol man way down in TX jd
Reminds me of my early childhood, when my parents still had their wild friends over, and played music over cigarettes and drinks (and other stuff that was brought out after I went to bed, I’m sure).
This kind of stuff still happens on a regular basis where I live! Kitchen parties, shed parties, cabin parties! Friends and family getting together and jamming out and singing along to their favorite songs!
Such sad news to think of Guy being gone. I always like to think of him as in this clip (one of my favourite music moments) boogying and enjoying life with his wife and friends. Blessings Guy. God willing he's with Susanna again. Something tells me that Townes would try to step up so... the reunion might've been interesting.
Christmas eve of 75 I was still in middle school/ Jr High . Christmas eve of 78 I spent in a pool hall with some friends....Things change really fast .
One of my favorite docs .. so real ,the director not only did a good job capturing the music , but also the vibe of that town and its people so well ... its just a great slice of Americana - made me kinda wanna move to clarkesville lol
1stSaintsFan _ easy now, settle down now! Ain't nothing wrong with the Dead and they're acid hippie free flow'n music. As a matter of fact the Dead were doing the same thing only 5 years earlier! Pure acoustic jams. Any hoot good tunes,great memories and even better times
Pretty wild seeing these guys pretty much polluted and having a blast and I'm enjoying this immensly, but a twinge of pain in my heart that TVZ didn't "stay a little longer" like the rest of 'em.
+Lisa Luvzlou Townes was a great loss. Lucinda Williams songs about her brother's suicide (I think) and other loss songs work for Townes. The Van Zandt name is magic in music -even if they are not all related.
These guys use to come through Austin and the question wonder where TVZ was that night is an very good question...And Townes left us way to early Angels are Singing...ol man way down in TX jd
I once did in a similar situation in Tennesse..{on my way to a friend of a friends wedding in Louisville, Kentucky} & just joined in singing "The Weight" with maybe 10 or more other people playing guitar etc..GREAT TIME wish I knew as many people as the friend of an old friends place that was.. Here in Georgia THAT doesn't HAPPEN!
My friends mom owned a bar. She was never at home. Her house was party central for us. We'd sit around the kitchen table a pyramid of cans and play guitars and sing. Millington Tennesse. Shake Rag. Good times! We'd play and sing just like this
