Together at the Bluebird Café

Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 9, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: American Originals
• ASIN: B00005QXGQ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,231 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

On September 13, 1995, this like-minded triumvirate of country-folk singer-songwriters joined forces for a good old-fashioned song swap. The music's warmth and relaxed vibe make it sound like it was recorded on someone's back porch in Texas as opposed to Nashville's Bluebird Café. Pulled together for an Interfaith Dental Clinic benefit by Guy Clark's wife Susanna, the three old friends sing songs and tell stories in an intimate acoustic-and-a-stool atmosphere in front of an appreciative audience--what more can you ask for when you have such compelling songwriters? The ravenous cult fans of these artists will want to add these delightful performances to their collections, but newcomers will get an engaging and useful primer on the modern Texas troubadour style. --Marc Greilsamer

Product Description

Digitally remastered digipak edition of this live album from the holy trinity of Roots/Country songwriters: Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark. Originally recorded in 1995 as a benefit for the Interfaith Dental Clinic in Nashville, Together At The Bluebird Cafe contains a live acoustic performance this talented trio. 20 tracks. Snapper Classics. 2004. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Song For Townes Van Zandt, January 7, 2002

By 

Big Dave (Boise, Idaho) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Together at the Bluebird Café (Audio CD)

Apparently, these three underground folk / rock / country greats walked on stage together for what sounds like a nearly impromptu benefit for a proposed Interfaith Dental Clinic (for the "working poor," Van Zandt explains, "who can't get insurance"). Each performs several of his own songs, accompanying himself on guitar with a minimal amount of harmony vocals.

Earle and Clark give strong performances. The stories told between songs are sometimes hilarious -- Townes' story of losing his gold tooth in a game of cards, or Earle's recounting of how his roommates were too dumb to even steal pizza.

But the thing I find really striking about this recording is Townes Van Zandt. Townes died only a couple of years later, the proximate cause being complications following hip surgery, but his alcoholism no doubt contributing. In his performances you can hear his slipping concentration -- missed chords, forgotten lines, etc.

His performance of "A Song For" is heartrending. He forgets parts, and the spare accompaniment accentuates his croaking, corroded voice. "Too late," he sings, "to wish I'd been stronger." A song for what? For a dying poet, a wanderer with no strength left to roam. A song for whom? A song for Townes Van Zandt. Touching.

If you're reading this review, you're probably already familiar with at least one of these legendary songwriters. Get the album -- its intimate, warm, funny feel is delicious even if you already have recordings of all these songs.

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Texas Troubadours Live!, October 16, 2001

By 

Allan R. Phillips "Music Snob" (San Antonio, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Together at the Bluebird Café (Audio CD)

... I quickly bought the album and liked it immediately. It was recorded in 1995, not long after Earle got out, appears to be after Train A-Comin' but before I Feel Alright. It follows the same quiet, acoustic folk sensibility as Train A-Comin'. It is not a rowdy album at all, more like Earle, Van Zandt and Clark are sitting in your living room trading off songs with nothing but their guitars. The three obviously know each other very well and are very relaxed, so the songs flow very easily and naturally, and that by itself is a huge benefit to the album. Included are a few Earle standards like "My Old Friend the Blues" and "I Ain't Ever Satisfied", though the one drawback is a clipped version of "Copperhead Road", which is the finale and the rowdiest this album gets (which is really not at all). The best songs in my opinion are "Valentine's Day", this version of which I think far surpasses that on I Feel Alright, "My Old Friend the Blues", "Mercenary Song" and "Tecumseh Valley", Van Zandt's song that Earle did on Train A-Comin'. Townes's songs are very touching and you can easily see his influence on Earle. Clark not quite as much, but the variety is great, and he of course is another big influence of Earle's. Another nice touch is the introductions to songs - they are funny and add to the atmosphere.

If you are an Earle fan (or Van Zandt or Clark), then buy this immediately, you won't regret it. You get a good dose of Earle and his direct influences. I'd rank it better than Transcendental Blues, but not quite up there with the other four recent albums. But then again, it's different, so not directly comparable. If you have never heard Steve Earle before, this is not the worst place to start, but not the best either. It all depends on what you are looking for - if it's more towards folk, get Train A-Comin', then maybe this one; if you're more of a rock fan, go for I Feel Alright, then move to El Corazon. I recently created a new Earle fan out of a friend at work who plays guitar - I played him "Taneytown", as another reviewer said, "the best Neil Young song ever, not written by Neil Young". Long live Steve Earle!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As Great As You Suspect, October 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Together at the Bluebird Café (Audio CD)

This CD, capturing a 1995 guitar pull with Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, is as great as you would picture. The sound quality is excellent sound quality and the song selection is great. Earle and Van Zandt, in particular, are in great voice and spice up several of the songs with charming banter. For Earle, this is a far more satisfying concert snapshot than his full-length SHUT UP AND DIE LIKE AN AVIATOR from years ago. Standout cuts: Earle's Mercenary Blues; Van Zandt's Tecumseh Valley; and Clark's Randall Knife.