Honky Tonk Hero [Hardcover]

Billy Joe Shaver (Author), Brad Reagan (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

Willie Nelson says "Billy Joe Shaver may be the best songwriter alive today," and legions of fans agree that Billy Joe is the real deal. Many describe his songs as pure poetry. Shaver sings about a life that's been full of hard times, wild living, and a forty-year-long passion for his late wife Brenda. His songs are raw, honest, and so true that people hear the story of their own lives in his music. No wonder, then, that his songs have also been recorded by artists such Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, George Jones, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Patty Loveless, John Anderson, Tom T. Hall, the Allman Brothers, the Oak Ridge Boys, and Tex Ritter. In this compelling autobiography written with the assistance of Brad Reagan, Billy Joe Shaver looks back over a life that some might call a miracle of survival. His father abandoned the family before Billy Joe was born. Troubles in school and in the military turned him into a fighter, and a sawmill accident claimed two fingers and part of a third on his right hand. Yet his innate musical talent and the encouragement of an English teacher set him on the road to being a songwriter--and he never looked back. Shaver recounts his long struggle to break into the music business in Nashville and the success that came when Waylon Jennings recorded his songs on the 1973 album Honky Tonk Heroes, which became a landmark of outlaw country music. Shaver movingly describes his own thirty-year, up-and-down career as a singer-songwriter in Nashville and Texas, his bouts with alcohol and drugs, his pleasure in touring with his son Eddy and their band Shaver during the 1990s, and the pain of losing Eddy, Brenda, and Billy Joe's mother all within the year 1999-2000. As full of life, heartbreak, and drama as any of Billy Joe Shaver's songs, Honky Tonk Hero is the story of a man who not only walked on the wild side and lived to tell about it, but also got it all down in songs that many people consider to be some of the finest country music ever written.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"He's as real a writer as Hemingway. He's timeless." Kris Kristofferson, quoted in the Dallas Morning News

About the Author

BILLY JOE SHAVER won the first Lifetime Achievement Award for songwriting at the 2002 Americana Music Awards. He maintains an active touring schedule from his home base in Waco, Texas. His recent albums include Freedom's Child, The Earth Rolls On, Electric Shaver, and Victory.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 207 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292706138
• ISBN-13: 978-0292706132
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #574,567 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lingers on the Mind, March 20, 2005

By 

Carol J. Hildebrand (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honky Tonk Hero (Hardcover)

Honky Tonk Hero is a MUST read for everyone from hometown Waco Willies to East coast city dwellers and West coast surfers~all will relate to this heart warming personal story. Through incredibly well written vivid descriptions Shaver's narration comes alive. Drama, heartbreak, and family troubles are highlighted through downhome recollections bringing the reader into Shaver's heart, mind and soul. A moving story of his personal struggles, battles and talented accomplishments. So superbly written it will linger on the mind long after the last page is turned ...just like the melody of his songs linger in the heart after the last verse is sung!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a few words, June 12, 2005

By 

Brandi M Willis (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honky Tonk Hero (Hardcover)

an excellent book-Billy Joe is a true songwriter-very few writers today compare
i would recommend this book to anyone-aspiring poets to country music singers

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great little book, February 16, 2006

By 

B. Shepherd - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Honky Tonk Hero (Hardcover)

YOu can read this book in one setting... and it's a winner. Lot's of down home stuff mixed with some very good stories about his growing up. I was amazed he survived the whole music scene and still lives today producing some excellent songs and music. A must read if you admire Billy Joe...