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Townes Van Zandt CBG Tribute Album - Your Submissions needed

Hey, y'all!

Townes Van Zandt (1944 - 1997) was a Texas singer-songwriter-poet, whose music has touched a deep chord (pun intended) amongst many of us here at CBN. No, he's not related, except perhaps very distantly, to those other musical Van Zandt boys many of us also love. Townes was hailed, back in 1985 by none other than another gifted songwriter, Steve Earle, as "the greatest songwriter in the world, and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that!" Whether or not you agree with ol' Steve, there is a deep knowledge of the blues, heartache, pain and melancholy in Townes' songs. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, please visit his estate's website to get to know him better (all proceeds go to support his children and his second wife, Jeanene):

https://townesvanzandt.com/

Several of us here at CBN (myself, Uncle John, Turtlehead, and maybe some others I haven't seen or heard - I know the owner of Diamondbackguitarshop and beStillroy are also huge fans) have done videos of us playing our versions of Townes' songs, many of which came out nearly 40 years ago. We realized that the CBG may be the perfect instrument on which to reinterpret and breathe new life into Townes' songs. In fact, we've been kicking the idea around in the Comment section of Uncle John's video rendition of "Flying Shoes" for the last coupla weeks (check it out), and came up with the idea for a tribute album, using only CBGs (I know, I know: Townes never played one, to my knowledge, and I and perhaps many others of you learned "Pancho and Lefty" on a 6-stringer, but still...).

So, if you're still with me, we're looking for MP3 submissions from those who play Townes' songs, wanna try 'em on CBG, may have never heard of him but like what they hear - any and all are welcome. His catalogue is pretty deep, so I'd like to lay claim to "If I Needed You" right here, right now! (hmmm. Jesus Jones...nah) ;-) We're also looking for someone willing to create some original cover art. The idea behind this is not to make money. We wouldn't want to charge for these songs or this album. We just wanna get 'em out to the larger CBN audience. As currently envisioned, it would be of a similar nature to the free download Robert Johnson tribute album, or the various CBN Christmas albums. It is not designed to detract from, or compete with, the Blues Album Dan Sleep is currently putting together for CBN, which many of us here are also contributing to. All we ask, like the judges on American Idol, is that you make your submitted TVZ song your own.

For those who are interested, you can add MP3 files using the Attach Files or Upload Files link at the bottom left to this Discussion. Record 'em however y'all feel comfortable: lo-fi, hi-fi, wi-fi, or in-fi, doesn't matter. You can PM me here at CBN for any offline technical or otherwise discussions. I will, eventually, get back to you.

Tags: CBGs, Townes, Van, Zandt, tribute

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Letha Allen on June 5, 2012 at 11:25pm

Oh, I just listened, I love that! I hope maybe tomorrow night I can send a harmony to see if it works in.

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Permalink Reply by Letha Allen on June 7, 2012 at 1:25am

Couldn't get to it tonight, hope I can this weekend. But...I just had a brand new grandson at 10:31 and will be pretty busy helping my daughter for a few days.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 7, 2012 at 5:49pm

No worries, go enjoy your grandson. Tell your daughter Hi and congratulations from the TVZ boys. Do the track when you can.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 6, 2012 at 3:00am

Letha,

This is a keeper! It may have felt like it was too high for you, but I don't hear any vocal cracks as you're reaching for the highs. Beautiful version! Well done! And thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Vinylhed on June 6, 2012 at 2:03pm

Nice one, I'm loving the powerful vocals on this. Your takes on these TVZ are a real boon for the album, thanks for taking the time to join in.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on June 5, 2012 at 9:32pm

Did someone do snake song?

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 6, 2012 at 2:58am

Kid,

Yeah, Russell Carlin covered it. But that doesn't mean you can't apply your own inimitable style to your version of it ;-) . Have a go. I'm allowing multiple cover versions if people wanna do 'em, because, well, people wanna be creative. And I dig that.

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Permalink Reply by Mr.C on June 5, 2012 at 9:45pm

Ok got black jack mama worked out record it this weekend.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 6, 2012 at 3:18am

True, although in going back through the Discussion, we can have multiple versions if people wanna do 'em.

Also, here's the updated updated list:

Songs Already Done on TVZT Recorded By

Flying Shoes Uncle John

Nothin SUGIMUGI (Thorsten Hinrichsen)

Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold Turtlehead

St. John The Gambler Vinylhed

Rake RTZ

Black Jack Mama Vinylhed

Tecumseh Valley Silent Jim

Still Looking For You RTZ

Buckskin Stallion Blues Jimi Z

Dollar Bill Blues Ben Kepler

Snake Song Russell Carlin

Rex's Blues SUGIMUGI (Thorsten Hinrichsen)

If I Needed You Oily

No Place To Fall Jamie MacBlues

Kathleen Russell Carlin

Two Hands The Profane Heaters (that's us! Still awaiting vocal parts)

Pancho and Lefty Vinylhed (awaiting vocal submissions to his backing track)

Recently Submitted Recorded By

Tecumseh Valley Letha Allen

At My Window Letha Allen

Awaiting Submission To Be Recorded By

Waitin' Round To Die Voodoo Highway

Two Girls, or Fraternity Blues Oily

Dead Flowers Turkeychicken

Black Jack Mama ? Mr. C

? The Phrygian Kid

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Permalink Reply by Thorsten Hinrichsen on June 6, 2012 at 6:35am

MAYDAY... Sorry, but I lost the guitartrack somebody has posted for two hands - think it was rtz or turtlehead. I couldn't find it anymore in the dicussion. Please, if anybody finds it - let me know. I'll be in the mountains for the weekend and fix the whole track next Tuesday. So if anybody wants to join "two hands" - please post until the end of the weekend.