1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: Disgraceland as a production of Double Elvis. This is a 2 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 1: story about a songwriter, an incredible talent who toiled in obscurity. 3 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 1: He had a number one hit, but most people don't 4 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: know his name. He released a dozen albums during his lifetime, 5 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: none sold more than a few thousand copies. He spent 6 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: his entire career waiting to die, knowing that he would 7 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: only become a legend after he was gone, just like 8 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: his idol, Hank Williams. Because just like Hank Williams, he 9 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: lived in pain, and also like Hank Williams, he sacrificed 10 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: everything to chase the muse. This is the story of 11 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: Towns van Zand a songwriter's songwriter who lived his art. 12 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: In his art was some of the saddest, most mournful 13 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: songs ever committed to tape. Songs that were so real 14 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 1: and relatable and funny and fucked up that they had 15 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: a magical power to make you feel better about your 16 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: own fucked up life. Great music, unlike that loop. I 17 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: played a few at the top of the show that 18 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: wasn't great music. That was a preset loop from my 19 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: melotron called Texas Lighter Fluid MK one. I played you 20 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,839 Speaker 1: that loop because I can't afford the rights to Tony 21 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: Braxton's on Break My Heart. And why would I play 22 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: you that specific slice of blistering Heartbreak Cheese? Could I 23 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: afford it? Because that was the number one song in 24 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: America on January first, nineteen ninety seven, And that was 25 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: the day that Living on the Road finally killed Towns 26 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: van zan forty four years to the day after Hank 27 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: Williams died under similar circumstances. On this episode. 28 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 2: Poetry picking, gambling, rambling, Blistering Heartbreak Cheese in the Legend 29 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: of the Late Great Towns van zand I'm Jake Brennan. 30 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 3: In this this disgraceland, Towns van Zandt held the paper 31 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 3: cup in the palm of his hand. 32 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: It was tiny, like something they would give you at 33 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: the dentist's office, or something the nurses used to give 34 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: with his pills. Back in Galvelston, it was New Year's 35 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,239 Speaker 1: Eve nineteen ninety six, and Towns was in a Memphis 36 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 1: recording studio. Behind the mixing board was Steve Shelley, the 37 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: drummer for Sonic Youth. Across from Towns, a group of 38 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,959 Speaker 1: young Memphis All Star pickers from the band two dollars guitar, 39 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: waited for Towns to call the next song. They were 40 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: all there to make an album for Sonic Youth's record label, 41 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: Ecstatic Peace. Towns was convinced it would be his final 42 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: recording after a hard fifty two years. Towns could feel 43 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: his body breaking down. His lungs were collapsing. It left 44 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: his singing voice weak and unsteady. His heart felt like 45 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: he could barely pump the blood through his veins, and 46 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: his hands were shaking every time he went more than 47 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: an hour without a drink, so he could barely play 48 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: the guitar. And then there was his hip. He'd slipped 49 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: and fallen a few days before Christmas, and he spent 50 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: the last week in his cabin outside of Nashville, bill 51 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: scooting around on his ass. When his long suffering road manager, 52 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: Harold Eggers, picked him up for the trip to Memphis, 53 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: he begged Towns to go to the hospital instead, but 54 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: the opportunity to cut one last album with these younger 55 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: dudes was irresistible. If he didn't make the session, Town's 56 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: new he might not get another chance. So Harold carried 57 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: Towns to the car and then rolled him into the 58 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: studio in a wheelchair, but now the pain at his 59 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: hip was blinding. Towns desperately needed to fix. If he 60 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,559 Speaker 1: was going to get through a song, then these tiny 61 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: cups of vodka that Harold kept pouring weren't getting it done. 62 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: Neither were the handful of pain pills he swallowed before 63 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: they arrived. Towns crumbled the paper cup in his hand 64 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: and tossed it on the ground. He snarled at Harold, 65 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: enough of these stupid tiny cups h and Harold snapped 66 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 1: back that he would pour Towns a gallon if that's 67 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: what he wanted. Towns shook his head. He didn't want 68 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: a gallon. He just wanted the pain to stop. It 69 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: felt like it had been as constant companion for so long, 70 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: and after a long pause, he said, just one more 71 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: shot for a blues. Harold handed him another small cup 72 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: and Towns tipped it back. He felt the burn of 73 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: the vodka as it went down, and with the liquor 74 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: coursing through his veins, he summoned up the last bit 75 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 1: of energy he had left and he straightened up, even 76 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: though it sent lightning bolts of pain shooting down his leg. 77 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: He screwed his eyes shut tight and the way he 78 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: always did when he sang, and began weaving together a 79 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:37,239 Speaker 1: haunting blues tune called Old Satan. His rhythm was shaky 80 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: and his voice was frail, but still he poured everything 81 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 1: he had into that performance, and for a moment it 82 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: looked like the song might take flight, and there was 83 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 1: a glimmer of the magic Towns used to conjure up 84 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 1: so effortlessly. Steve Shelley excitedly started turning knobs on the 85 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 1: mixing board, and the younger musicians watched breathlessly. But then 86 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: the way of pain eventually overtook Towns again. He stumbled 87 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: through the second verse, and the magic spell was broken. 88 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: He made it through the song barely, but the take 89 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: was hardly a keeper. Towns knew he couldn't go on. 90 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: He laid down the guitar and snatched the bottle from 91 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: Harold and took a long pull. And no one said anything, 92 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: but they all knew it. This recording session was over. 93 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 1: A few hours later, Towns was stretched out in the 94 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: back seat of Harold's car as they drove back to 95 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: Nashville in silence. Neither of them wanted to talk about 96 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: the disastrous recording session, so instead, Harold flipped through the 97 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 1: radio dial looking for a tune, and down near the 98 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: left end of the dial, the unmistakable warble of Hank 99 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: Williams suddenly cut through the static. Towns laid his head 100 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: back and hummed along to the words of Hank's Lost Highway. 101 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: Hank Williams, along with Lightning Hopkins, and Bob Dylan, made 102 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: up Towns, this holy trinity of musical and lenses. Back 103 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,359 Speaker 1: in Houston, Towns studied at Lightning's feet, learning to cast 104 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 1: a spell with the grooves so thick and steady it 105 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 1: could hypnotize a room into silence. To this, he added 106 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: the searing imagery from Bob Dylan's early records, which he 107 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: devoured as a college student at the University of Colorado. 108 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: But Hank Williams was his north Star. Towns always felt 109 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: a spiritual connection to the country legend. They both have 110 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: the same long and lanky frame, the same piercing stare, 111 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: the same willingness to push aside health, family, friends, push 112 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: aside everything really to chase the muse. And like Hank, 113 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: who struggled with the bottle his whole life and was 114 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: committed to a sanitarium, more than once. Towns, van Zandt 115 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: had also spent some time in institutions. The first time 116 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: was one who was just twenty during his sophomore year 117 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: at the University of Colorado. He spent weeks locked in 118 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: his apartment with a bottle of whiskey and lightning Hopkins 119 00:07:58,080 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: records on repeat read. His girlfriend contacted his parents, but 120 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: when they saw the terrible shape their son was in, 121 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: they immediately had him committed to the University of Texas 122 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: Medical branch in Galveleston. In Galvealston, Towns spent three months 123 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: locked up, and he doped up. The doctors strapped him 124 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: down to a gurney. They forced a rubber block into 125 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: his mouth and sapped his brain with electroshock treatments that 126 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: they insisted and cured his depression. Instead, it erased his 127 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: long term memory. Hank's voice crackled through the car speakers 128 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: and the song came to an end. In the backseat, 129 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: Towns listened as the DJ came on, reminding everyone that 130 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: Hank Williams died on New Year's Day. Towns knew the 131 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: story well. Hank Williams was riding in the back seat 132 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,439 Speaker 1: of a black Cadillac heading up to a concert in Ohio, 133 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: but he never made it. Word was he died somewhere 134 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: around Bristol. Yet even after death, Hank's legend kept growing. 135 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: Towns figured he was in the same boat. His legend 136 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: would grow, but only after he died. As the codine 137 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,079 Speaker 1: and vodka started to make his head spin, he could 138 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 1: almost see Hank in a white suit and stetson hats 139 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: sitting alongside him in the backseat. The ghostly vision of 140 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: Hank reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a 141 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: flask and handed it to Towns. Towns took a pole and 142 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: swore he could taste whiskey. Then Hank beckoned Towns on 143 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: to follow him down the Lost Highway. But Towns wasn't 144 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,959 Speaker 1: ready to go just yet. It wasn't that he was 145 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: afraid of death, far from it. He was the guy 146 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: who wrote Waiting Around to Die, first released when he 147 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: was barely in his twenties, after all, but Towns wanted 148 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: to see the album through. He wanted to see his 149 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: kids again. He wanted to ring just a little bit 150 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: more picking and poetry out of his life. So he 151 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: willed his aching body to hold on just a little longer, 152 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: and he looked over at the vision of Hank smirking 153 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 1: at him underneath a white hat, and begged for a 154 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: bit more time, and he can only hope that Hank 155 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: Williams would listen. Towns, van zandt stared at the clinched 156 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: fist in front of him. The fists belonged to Guy Clark. 157 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: Guy's wife, Suzanne, hovered next to him, waiting. Towns looked 158 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 1: at the three straws Guy held tight in his hand 159 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: and scratched his head. He reached forward, but then stopped 160 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: to think. The trio has gathered in the living room 161 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: of a tiny, dilapidated house in East Nashville, where newlywed's 162 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 1: Guy and Susannah lived. Towns came out from Texas to 163 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: be the best man at their wedding in January of 164 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy two and never really left. It was March 165 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: now and he was still crashing in Susannah's tiny art 166 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:16,439 Speaker 1: studio on a dirty twin mattress they found in a dumpster. 167 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: Towns and Guy have been best friends since linking up 168 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: as young songwriters on the Houston coffeehouse circuit. They had 169 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: an equal passion for songwriting. Booze and gambling, and they 170 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: would gamble on anything cards, sure, dice, of course, but 171 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: they would also bet one hundred dollars on a coin 172 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: flip for which rain Drop would make it to the 173 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 1: bottom of the window first. Right now, though the stakes 174 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: weren't quite as high, but Towns still wanted to win. 175 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 1: As Towns's hand hesitated above the three straws, he stared 176 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,199 Speaker 1: once more at Guy's eyes, and they were bleary. His 177 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: nose was bright red. Suzannah looked about the same. All 178 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 1: three of them looked like they were half in the back, 179 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: but that was only half right. Sure, they had been 180 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: drinking hot toddies all afternoon, but that was purely medicinal 181 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: because Towns, Guy, Susanna were all suffering from the worst 182 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: case of the flu they could remember. Finally, Towns made 183 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: his decision. He reached down to Guy's fist and pulled 184 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:20,679 Speaker 1: out a straw and held it up. It was barely 185 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: two inches long. Towns shook his head and muttered he 186 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: knew he had lost, which meant Towns would have to 187 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: pull on his coat and boots and drag his aching 188 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 1: body down to the pharmacy to buy a bottle of 189 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: Cody and cough s here for the three of them. 190 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: A half hour later, Towns was back at the house. 191 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 1: He grabbed three rocks glasses and poured the contents of 192 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 1: the bottle evenly between them, before passing a glass to 193 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: Guy and Susannah. They cleaned glasses, and Towns downed his 194 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 1: in a single gulp. Susannah went back to her easel, 195 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 1: where she was working on a painting of a bright 196 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: red apple bouncing across the canvas. Guy was tinkering with 197 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: a new song, a cinematic story. Every bit is detailed 198 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 1: as a Scorsese film, a cinematic story that he was 199 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,839 Speaker 1: calling let him roll. Towns listened for a few minutes 200 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 1: before he felt the codeine kicking in. It was one 201 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: of his favorite highs, warm and black. Normally, Towns liked 202 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: to ride that high as long as he could, but 203 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:22,120 Speaker 1: tonight he was too sick and too tired, and the 204 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: medicine was doing its job, and soon he was nodding off, 205 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 1: and while he still had the energy, Towns stumbled off 206 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 1: to the mattress on the floor and fell headlong into 207 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: the deepest sleep of his life. Suddenly Towns awoke and 208 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 1: found himself on a stage with bright lights shining in 209 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: his face. His mouth opened and outpoured a melody, but 210 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: it was one he couldn't quite recognize. It felt familiar, warm, 211 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: like he'd been singing it for years, centuries maybe. As 212 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:56,280 Speaker 1: he kept singing, he looked around the room, a roadhouse, 213 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: like any of the thousands he'd played before, but like 214 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,359 Speaker 1: the song, he couldn't quite place this one. 215 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:02,959 Speaker 4: Sure. 216 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: There were the same empty Schitz bottles scattered across the tables, 217 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: the same sawdust floor, the same spellbound crowd locked into 218 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: his timeless melody, but there were no foosball tables and 219 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 1: no televisions. His guitar took up the melody with an easy, 220 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: natural swing, and while they played, Towns looked out across 221 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: the crowd, and the women were wearing knee length dresses. 222 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: The men were all decked out in suits. And then 223 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 1: he caught his own reflection in a long mirror hanging 224 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: across the bar's back wall. His piercing black eyes looked 225 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 1: the same as usual, but Towns was surprised to see 226 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 1: he was wearing a suit as well, a white number 227 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: with a sharp cut and a white stetson hat to match. 228 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: He locked eyes with his reflection in the mirror. Those 229 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: dark eyes drew him in while they kept repeating the 230 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: last line of the song, something about easing the pain, 231 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: over and over, while those twin pools of darkness kept 232 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: pulling them in deeper and deeper, filling his entire field 233 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: of vision. It was still pitch black. When towns Van's 234 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: aunt jolted out of his dream. He thrashed around on 235 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: the mattress until he rolled onto the floor, half awake, 236 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: and the last line of the song was still ringing 237 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 1: in his head. Towns fumbled around for a pad of 238 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: paper and jotted down the words. Then the melody was deep, 239 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: so natural that he knew he would have no trouble 240 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: remembering it. And then he collapsed back in a sleep. 241 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 1: And when the sunlight flooded into his room the next morning, 242 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: Towns lay still with eyes closed, listening to his pet parakeets, 243 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: Loop and Lil chirping back and forth. Towns loved those birds. 244 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: He took them with him everywhere, even stuffing them into 245 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: the chest pockets of his pearl snap Western shirts. Sneaked 246 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: them onto airplanes, and as he listened to the bird's 247 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: timeless song, he slowly remembered his vivid dream from the 248 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: night before, but when he opened his notebook, the whole 249 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: surreal performance came flooding back to him. As he watched 250 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: the birds flit around the room, he scratched out a 251 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: few more lines before stumbling out into the living room. 252 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: Guy and Susannah were already awake and drinking coffee when 253 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: Towns walked into the room and asked if they wanted 254 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: to hear a new song, and the song was if 255 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: I Needed You. And that's how thick the mojo was 256 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: for Towns van Zant in nineteen seventy two. He was 257 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: literally writing hit songs in his sleep, even if they 258 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: weren't always hit songs for him. His version of If 259 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: I Needed You may have never even sniffed the charts, 260 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: but Emmy Lou Harris and Don Williams took it to 261 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: number three in nineteen eighty one, and it's been recorded 262 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: by hundreds of artists over the years. Even if he 263 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: hadn't scored a hit for himself, yet, nearly everyone who 264 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 1: came in contact with Towns van Zant was convinced that 265 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: a hit song was just around the corner. It's why 266 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: Guy and Susannah let him crash in Nashville That's why 267 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: Steve Earl ran away from home as a teenager to 268 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: Towns in Houston and later followed into Nashville, just for 269 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: the chance to soak up some of that mojo. To 270 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: know Towns van zan was to know greatness. He had 271 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 1: the poetry, he had, the playing, he had, the charisma, 272 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:15,680 Speaker 1: and the sheer incredible talent that shined in whatever room 273 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 1: he rambled into. A Few months after writing If I 274 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 1: Needed You in the throes of a codeine fever dream, 275 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: Towns had rambled out west to Colorado, something he did 276 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: nearly every summer, to ride horses, write songs, and rest 277 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: up for a heavy fall tour schedule. In Colorado, Mickey White, 278 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: a fellow musician from the Houston circuit, scored Towns a 279 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:40,359 Speaker 1: session at a nearby radio station. Sitting in the parking 280 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: lot of the station, Mickey asked Towns if he had 281 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 1: any new songs. Towns didn't pull any punches. He just 282 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,199 Speaker 1: slung his guitar over his shoulder and played Mickey, if 283 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 1: I Needed You and Poncho and Lefty back to back. 284 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: His songs were never a problem for Townsvanzaan, but financial 285 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 1: issues at his record lidit questionable production decisions, and his 286 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 1: own self destructive behavior all conspired to prevent the breakthrough 287 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: that always seemed like it should have been just around 288 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: the corner. In the early fall of nineteen seventy two, 289 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: Towns van Zant was back in Texas visiting his mother 290 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: when an alarming episode nearly derailed his career permanently. Because 291 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 1: by now Towns wasn't just tipping back coughs. Here, he 292 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,720 Speaker 1: was shooting heroin, and while home alone, Tounds tied off 293 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:31,679 Speaker 1: and overdursed. It was hours before his body was found. 294 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: He came into the emergency room dead on arrival. It 295 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 1: took the doctors almost an hour before they finally revived him. Miraculously, 296 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: he avoided brain damage and it didn't change his behavior, 297 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,879 Speaker 1: though he laughed it off and titled his next album 298 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 1: with the late Great Towns van Zant, and despite containing 299 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 1: his two signature songs If I Needed You and Poncho 300 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: and Lefty, the album sold less than ten thousand copies. 301 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: His record label folded and contract to Speeds prevented the 302 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: follow up from coming out for more than six years, 303 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 1: and by that point Towns had given up on stardom. 304 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: He practically gave up on everything, retreating to a shack 305 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: in Franklin, Tennessee, with no running water. He spent most 306 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:19,240 Speaker 1: of the next decade getting high, picking wildflowers and waiting 307 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:23,880 Speaker 1: around to die. But Hank Williams's call was still far 308 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: off in the distance and echo the Towns could barely hear. Instead, 309 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,439 Speaker 1: another pair of country outlaws. We're about to bring Towns 310 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:42,679 Speaker 1: van Zant, in his career, back to life. We'll be 311 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: right back after this. We're We're, We're. Towns van Zant 312 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: was doing at least seventy five when he saw the 313 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: red and blue lights flashing behind him. That put him 314 00:19:57,359 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: at least thirty miles over the speed limit as he 315 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: flew through this tiny Texas town halfway between Houston and Austin. 316 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: To speed limit was only part of the problem. In 317 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty five, just about any time Towns van Zant 318 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:11,440 Speaker 1: was behind the wheel, he was committing at least a 319 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: couple felonies. Today was no exception. He was still feeling 320 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 1: the buzz from the pint of vogge he put away 321 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 1: during the gig last night, and a constellation of pills 322 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,920 Speaker 1: he swallowed afterward, not to mention the beers he had 323 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: for breakfast, and there was also the pharmacy's worth of 324 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: narcotics wrapped up in a paper sack in the backseat, 325 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,959 Speaker 1: plus the small bag of heroin an injection kid stuffed 326 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: him to the driver's seat. But Towns have been through 327 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,719 Speaker 1: one thousand close calls with the law without earning serious 328 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: jail time. Once he crashed his car through a bars 329 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 1: plate glass window and just walked inside in order to drink. Somehow, 330 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: he ended up with only a fine, so Towns was 331 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: determined to play it cool as he saw a pair 332 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 1: of highway patrolmen step out of their cruiser and march 333 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: towards his car. They were an odd pair. One was 334 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:02,880 Speaker 1: tall and pale, with a blond crew cut and bright 335 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: blue eyes. His partner was shorter and stocky, with bronze 336 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: skin and dark brown eyes and the bright Texas sun. 337 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: The contrast between them couldn't have been greater. Towns couldn't 338 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,640 Speaker 1: help think it would make a great song, and as 339 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 1: the cops approached, Towns rolled down the window and, without 340 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 1: a hint of a slur, asked the officers if there 341 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: was a problem. The shorter cop didn't respond, He just 342 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: stared at Towns and asked for his license and registration. 343 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 1: By some minor miracle, Towns's license was up to date. Unfortunately, 344 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: though the car's plates were expired. In no time, flat 345 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,239 Speaker 1: Towns was being pulled out of the car, and if 346 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,239 Speaker 1: the cops were suspicious before, they were practically salivating when 347 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 1: they found a large water cash in his pocket. Towns 348 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: calmly explained that he was a singer songwriter and the 349 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 1: cash was payment from last night's gig in Houston. He 350 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: could see the cops smirk at each other and roll 351 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 1: their eyes. Towns figured songwriters must be a dime a 352 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 1: dozen out here. The blanc cop practically sneered down her. 353 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, he wrote, anything we've heard of a gambler 354 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: knows when it's time to play his ace, and Town's 355 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 1: new this was the time, sure, he said, you ever 356 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: heard of Poncho and Lefty? The remark landed even heavier 357 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: than he hoped. The cops froze with a surprised look 358 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 1: in their eyes. Before they recovered they both shook their heads. 359 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: No way, they weren't buying it. Fortunately, Towns of the proof. 360 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 1: He reached into the back seat of the car and 361 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:35,919 Speaker 1: pulled out an LP He pointed to the song on 362 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 1: the back, and then he pointed to the liner notes, 363 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: all songs written by Towns van Zan. Towns waited in 364 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:47,120 Speaker 1: silence as the cops whispered back and forth. He knew 365 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 1: better than to say anything, and he tried not to 366 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: even breathe too loudly. And when the patrol men turned 367 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:56,439 Speaker 1: back to him, Towns could feel the tension lifting. The 368 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: blonde cops said that they'd let him go with the warning. 369 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: Was surprised, but he wasn't going to look at gift 370 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: horse in the mouth. He started to leave, but a 371 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: question was warming its way through his mind. He knew 372 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 1: he should say thanks and be on his way, but 373 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: he decided to push his luck. Why. He wanted to 374 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: know were they letting him go. The mismatched pair of 375 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 1: highway patrolmen grinned and explained that their radio call names 376 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:26,479 Speaker 1: were Poncho and left Team. Towns nodded thoughtfully and started 377 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 1: walking back to his car. Still he couldn't help himself. 378 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: He spun around on his boot heels to ask one 379 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 1: more question. Say, fellas, which one of you is Pancho? 380 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,160 Speaker 1: The Mexican cop pointed at his blue eyed, blonde haired 381 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,199 Speaker 1: partner he is, and with that, Towns cracked a smile, 382 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:47,719 Speaker 1: tipped his cowboy hat. Then a moment later he was 383 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: flying down the road towards Austin, free and clean. By 384 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,439 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty five, Towns's career was also flying thanks to 385 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: two of the biggest country music stile on the planet. 386 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: When Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard decided to release a 387 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,199 Speaker 1: duo album in nineteen eighty three, it had all the 388 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: makings of a blockbuster. They had ace producer Chip's Moment 389 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: in a crack band of Texas pickers. They had unique 390 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: voices that complimented each other perfectly. But as the last 391 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:19,959 Speaker 1: day of recording came to a close, the only thing 392 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 1: they didn't have was a single. Close to midnight, Merle 393 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,199 Speaker 1: Haggard went back to his tour bus to catch some 394 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 1: sleep before pulling out in the morning, and Willie Nelson 395 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 1: stayed in the studio pondering the missing track when his 396 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 1: daughter Lana suggested Poncho and Lefty after hearing Emmy Lou 397 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: Harris's nineteen seventy seven version, she left to grab a 398 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:43,879 Speaker 1: copy and came back around two am. Willie listened to 399 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 1: the song once and told Chip's moment to go wake 400 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 1: up Merle Haggard and they were going to cut the 401 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 1: song that night, and the next morning the song was finished, 402 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,919 Speaker 1: but when the album came out, Poncho and Lefty was 403 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:01,200 Speaker 1: the title track. Both the album and the single went 404 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: to number one on the country charts. Willie and Murrell 405 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,160 Speaker 1: filmed a big budget music video, and they even invited 406 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: Towns to appear in it. Most fans paid no attention 407 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,160 Speaker 1: to the dark haired guitar picker from the music video, 408 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,120 Speaker 1: but enough of them started buying old Towns van zan 409 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: albums that he was finally able to sign a record contract. 410 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 1: He put out his first album in ten years with 411 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty seven's at My Window, and the album still 412 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,479 Speaker 1: wasn't a big seller, but it earned rave reviews, and 413 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: it came with a bold sticker on the front, a 414 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 1: quote that would follow Towns for the rest of his life, 415 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: because by nineteen eighty seven, Towns's buddy Steve Earle had 416 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 1: become a major star in his own right, and when 417 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: the label asked him to come up with a quote, 418 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: he did more than that. He threw down a gauntlet, saying, 419 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: quote Towns van Zant's the best songwriter in the world, 420 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 1: and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my 421 00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: cowboy boots and say that unquote. Towns reportedly hated that 422 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: quote when people asked him it. He liked to say 423 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 1: that he had met Bob Dylan's bodyguards and there was 424 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: no way Steve would make it anywhere close to Bob's 425 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:10,600 Speaker 1: coffee table, which is probably true, but I digress. Although 426 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 1: stardom still seemed out of reach, town seemed like he 427 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,440 Speaker 1: might settle into a niche as a critically acclaimed, if 428 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:21,199 Speaker 1: not commercially viable artist. He was touring regularly again. He 429 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 1: married his third wife, Janine, and they had a son, 430 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: and for a short time there was something close to 431 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: domestic bliss. But living back in Texas again, temptation was everywhere. 432 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 1: He couldn't walk a block down Sixth Street in Austin 433 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:37,920 Speaker 1: without a dozen people offering to buy him a drink 434 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:42,640 Speaker 1: or something stronger. Lightning Hopkins always told Towns to play 435 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 1: the blues, you shouldn't even be able to stand up. 436 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: Town seemed more determined than ever to live by that rule. 437 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 1: One night at the club Emma Joe's, he was so 438 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: drunk that he couldn't remember the words to If I 439 00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: Needed You. He was so drunk, in fact, that he 440 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: wasn't even sure if the song was his, and the 441 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: crowd shuffled uncomfortably until a tall man in a beat 442 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,360 Speaker 1: up white stetson jumped on stage and sang a verse 443 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: until the lights finally went back on. In Towns's head, 444 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:14,120 Speaker 1: it wasn't the spirit of Hank Williams coming to the rescue. Instead, 445 00:27:14,119 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: it was his friend and fellow hell racer, Blazed Foley, 446 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 1: guiding him back in the right direction. But every day 447 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,920 Speaker 1: that went by, it became more and more clear that 448 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 1: Towns van Zant would never be able to steer himself 449 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 1: in the right direction in Austin. Soon, Towns, Janine, and 450 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 1: their son will were leaving Texas for Tennessee. At first, 451 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: the move did the trick. Towns put out some great albums, 452 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,880 Speaker 1: he and Jeanine had a daughter, and Towns even managed 453 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 1: an almost two year stretch of sobriety. But the voice 454 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: of Hank Williams was calling louder and more incessantly than 455 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: ever before. In Towns knew it was just a matter 456 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 1: of time before we followed Hank's call down the lost highway. 457 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: Towns van Zand screamed out in agony. The air was 458 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 1: like fire on his skin. The moonlight screaming in through 459 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: the window was blinding. He pulled hard on the chain 460 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: wrapped around his waist, but it held fast. The chain 461 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: kept him trapped in this room, with just enough slack 462 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 1: to make it to the toilet, but no further. He'd 463 00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: been stuck like this for days. Who will put Towns 464 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 1: van Zand through this kind of torture? A crazed fan, 465 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: an angry ex manager, a nurse in some mental institution. 466 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 1: It was none of the above. In fact, the person 467 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 1: who trapped him in this room was not one other 468 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 1: than Towns van zan himself. In nineteen ninety three. With 469 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 1: his young son and a baby daughter at home, Towns 470 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: was taking extreme measures to try once again to dry out, 471 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 1: so he went to the hardware store and bought a 472 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: fifteen foot chain. Then he had his wife, Jeanine, attached 473 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: one end to one thousand pound waterbed and locked the 474 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: other end around his waist. For three days, he tried 475 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 1: to sweat out the poison. He screamed and hallucinated that 476 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: his daughter was flying around the room above him. He 477 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: puked all over the place, shat himself, poured out sweat, 478 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: shook like he was going into convulsions. Finally, on the 479 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: fourth day, he couldn't take it anymore. He begged his wife, 480 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 1: Jeanine to cut him loose. When she finally undid the chain, 481 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: Towns stared down at the floor and mumbled in an apology. 482 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: Then he tore as out the front door and sprinted 483 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: to his truck. The tires screeched as he flew backward 484 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 1: out of the driveway and down the road to the 485 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: liquor store, where he ripped the little a pint of 486 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: vodka with trembling hands. He downed half the bottle on 487 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 1: a single gulp, and at last the pain ended, and 488 00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 1: it was the last time Towns would try to clean up. 489 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: A year later, a doctor told him that another attempt 490 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: at detoxing would likely kill him, but he didn't let 491 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: that song him down. He kept touring with his road manager, Harold, 492 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: managing his Vodcan intake, and every club on his route 493 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: learned how to make a town shot two thirds ice 494 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,479 Speaker 1: water and one third vodka, just enough to ease the shakes, 495 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 1: but not so much that he fell off his stool, 496 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 1: and he kept recording too, despite his fading health. Towns 497 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 1: put out two albums in nineteen ninety four, including some 498 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: of the most rocking songs of his career on No 499 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: Deeper Blue, and a cover's collection that included his beautifully 500 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: melancholy reading of the Rolling Stones as dead Flowers, which 501 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: the Coen Brothers memorably included in the final scene of 502 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 1: their dark comedic masterpiece The Big Lebowski. But by the 503 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: time Harold was driving Towns back from his disaster Memphis 504 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: recording session on New Year's Eve nineteen ninety six, it 505 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,080 Speaker 1: was clear the Towns was reaching the end of the road. 506 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,719 Speaker 1: Back in Nashville, Harold and Janine insisted the Towns go 507 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 1: to the hospital, and the doctor was discovered he had 508 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: a broken hint and pulled him into emergency surgery, and 509 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 1: before he went under, Towns made Janine promised that she 510 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 1: wouldn't let them try to detox him in the hospital, 511 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,160 Speaker 1: and after she left the room, he gave the doctor's 512 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: orders not to resuscitate him under any circumstances if the 513 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:36,600 Speaker 1: surgery didn't go well. Around two am, Towns came out 514 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:39,719 Speaker 1: of surgery. Because he was an active alcoholic, the nurses 515 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: refused to give him pain medication. He was in agony, 516 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:46,479 Speaker 1: shaking from DTS and told Janine if this was truly 517 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:49,200 Speaker 1: the end, he didn't want to die in an institution, 518 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 1: And at five pm on New Year's Day, towns Van's 519 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:57,280 Speaker 1: aunt signed out of the hospital against medical advice. He 520 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: drank a triple vodka in the car on the way 521 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 1: to his cabin in mind Juliette, Tennessee, a cabin he 522 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: bought from his friend's guy in Susannah Clark. When he arrived, 523 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 1: he smoked a joint and he was no longer shaking 524 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 1: and the pain was starting to subside. Towns wondered if 525 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 1: maybe he could slide through this close call like he'd 526 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: slid through so many close calls before. But as he 527 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 1: lay on the couch, he saw that same ghostly vision 528 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: of Hank William's stroll into the living room in his 529 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 1: white suit and stetson, sit down and stretch out his 530 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 1: feet on the coffee table. He stared into Hank's dark 531 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: eyes till they were all. 532 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:36,800 Speaker 3: He could see. 533 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 1: A timeless melody was rising in his mind. He could 534 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: feel himself rising too. Somewhere off in the distance, he 535 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,880 Speaker 1: heard a voice, his son was calling from another room 536 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: asking if he needed anything. No, Towns called back. I've 537 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 1: got everything I need right here. It was New Year's Day, 538 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,320 Speaker 1: the same day Hank Williams died on back in nineteen 539 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 1: fifty three. And now on this New Year's Day years later, 540 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 1: Towns van zandt was dead too. Twin souls gone too soon, 541 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: both lost on the Lost Highway. And that is a disgrace. 542 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: I'm Jake Brennan, and this this disgrace. 543 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 4: Land all right, thanks for checking out this episode on 544 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 4: Towns van zan appreciate you guys. As we just detailed, 545 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 4: Towns van Zant lived an authentic life as an artist 546 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 4: and a songwriter, and I believe in a lot of 547 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 4: ways living with that commitment in. 548 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:58,200 Speaker 1: The end it cost him, and it cost him big. 549 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:01,760 Speaker 1: So the question of week this week is which musical 550 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:05,720 Speaker 1: artists gave up the most for their art six one 551 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: seven nine six six six three eight Let me know 552 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,520 Speaker 1: voicemail and text to be up at disgracelampod on the socials. 553 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,040 Speaker 1: You want to support the show, you can do it 554 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 1: in two ways. You can leave a review for Disgracelant 555 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or you can become a 556 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:21,719 Speaker 1: Disgraceland All Access member and get exclusive content and add 557 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:23,839 Speaker 1: for you. Listen and go to disgrace lampod dot com 558 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:29,080 Speaker 1: to sign up. All right, here comes some credits. Disgraceland 559 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:31,719 Speaker 1: was created by Yours Truly and is produced in partnership 560 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,840 Speaker 1: with Double Elvis. Credits for this episode can be found 561 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 1: on the show notes page at disgracelampod dot com. If 562 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,480 Speaker 1: you're listening as a Disgracelan All Access member, thank you 563 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,440 Speaker 1: for supporting the show. We really appreciate it. And if not, 564 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: you can become a member right now by going to 565 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: disgracelampod dot com slash Membership members can listen to every 566 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: episode of disgracelan ad free, rate and review the show, 567 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 1: and follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook at disgracelampod, 568 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:03,759 Speaker 1: on YouTube at YouTube dot com slash at Disgraceland Pod 569 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:11,160 Speaker 1: Rock a Roller. He's a bad, bad man.