Billy Joe Shaver

As the old saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and neither are human success stories. At Outsider, we believe that every day is another chance to learn, grow, and better ourselves. We understand that as we grow as individuals, we can help build stronger communities. With that in...

Billy Joe Shaver isn’t just a Texas legend. He was one of the greatest songwriters the world has ever seen. At least, that’s what Willie Nelson and legions of devotees around the world believe. He was the man behind Waylon Jennings’ Honky Tonk Heroes album. So, Billy Joe was at the heart of the Outlaw Country movement in its earliest days. Tragically, Shaver passed away last October after suffering a stroke.

Before Billy Joe Shaver’s death in 2020, Willie Nelson called him the greatest living songwriter. That isn’t out of line, as Billy Joe is a member of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and winner of the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award. His songs have been covered by Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Patty Loveless, and many others, and even featured in films such as the Academy Award-winning Crazy Heart.

I had no idea they are still making those Now That’s What I Call Music albums, but evidently they are and the latest one is pretty cool. Now let me back up for a second, if you don’t know what a Now That’s What I Call Music album is here you go; it’s a CD with a collection of hit songs typically related to a genre, decade or year. Dozens of countries have their own series and many have seen great success in the United States with a bunch becoming certified platinum or gold and nearly every single one (Three to five each year since 1998) reached the billboard top five for a sixteen-year run.

Billy Joe Shaver was one of the best songwriters to put pen to paper. Plain and simple. Over the course of his life, his songs were recorded by Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom T. Hall, Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and more. In fact, before Billy Joe died in October 2020 at the age of 81, Willie Nelson once referred to him as “the greatest living songwriter.”

The deaths of legendary Texas troubadours Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver within a week of each other in October was a hard blow to fans of outlaw-country music around the world. On Saturday, "Austin City Limits" pays tribute to them both with an hourlong episode that draws from the iconic PBS show's archives.

Two of Texas’ biggest musical legends, both of whom died in October, are celebrated with an episode of vintage appearances. Last October, Texas lost two of its biggest musical legends: Jerry Jeff Walker and Billy Joe Shaver. Walker wrote some of country music’s funniest, most heartbreaking songs, including 1968’s “Mr. Bojangles.” Shaver pioneered outlaw country, writing classics like “Georgia on a Fast Train” and “Ride Me Down Easy,” recorded by Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and more — all while living up to his outlaw reputation in real life.