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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.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 19, 2012 at 7:51am

I certainly think this is a workable suggestion. I'm aware that too much layering of voices could induce hiss, but this is just too good to pass up. Is everyone on board with Thorsten's offer? And Vinyl's offer?

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Permalink Reply by Thorsten Hinrichsen on April 19, 2012 at 8:35am

I've just played around for some minutes and found out that E would be a better key for us "baritones". Would be nice if some of us recorded 2nd and 3rd voices so that it all gets some harmonic feel (like the gospel choir in "two hands").

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Permalink Reply by RTZGUITARS on April 19, 2012 at 10:30am

I'd like to help and I will do what I can, I still want to submit one more song But. I need to start building 3 guitars&amps for the CBGs for Service Members group. Need them done in two months. I listened to all the songs submitted so far and Ron i think you stumbled on to something here the songs are great. From the studio to the shop, It a good feeling to help. Even in a small way.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 20, 2012 at 4:43am

RTZ,

Yeh. Your version of "Rake" was just small potatoes (shakes head...).

Do what you need to, dude. Build some of our nation's finest some gits. That to me is even more worthwhile than keeping Townes' music alive. Come back with another tune if you have time. If you don't, rest assured that you have a standout contribution amongst standouts.

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on April 19, 2012 at 3:01pm

I am on board if I can do the tech end. I would love to have Two Hands be a group song. Pancho could be good, but Turtle already did a fantastic vid of Pancho that could be converted to mp-3. Please let me know if and how I can participate.

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Permalink Reply by Thorsten Hinrichsen on April 19, 2012 at 6:51pm

Hi UJ.

You could easily sing (or play) into a microphone (if you don't use hard disc recording tools on your computer) while listening to the basic track through headphones - so only the voice gets recorded.

Then you publish the recorded tracks here (or send them by e-mail).

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 19, 2012 at 10:07pm

That seems a workable solution as well: download the mp3 backing track to a music player, then do as Thorsten's suggests...

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Permalink Reply by Uncle John on April 19, 2012 at 11:09pm

Will give that a try, Thorston. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 20, 2012 at 4:47am

John,

I tend to agree that Turtle's "Pancho" was fab, and could be ripped from the vid for inclusion as is. But if we wanna try and do a group sing with it...hmmm. What about this, Turtle? Could you rip it, then e-mail it to everyone ( or submit it here) then have everyone try to contribute vocals on it...like was suggested before, everyone sing the whole thing, then "somebody" chop it to bits? We'd have to stick with the key you played it in, but it could work. Whaddaya'all think?

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Permalink Reply by turtlehead on April 20, 2012 at 12:29pm

I'd be happy to do that, or if Thorsten or Vinyl want to do the backing tracks and we start from scratch with a different key and a rhythm track , be my guest(s). I feel like this would be best way to go to get a nice finished product, but my version is there if we want to get going ASAP.

Work has me busy at the moment and I have some other recordings I need to get finished for a friend's wedding this summer, so I won't have the time to do the backing track and sequencing the drums is not my strong suit anyway. I do love editing though and my offer to splice it up is still on the table. And I can commit performance wise to both Pancho and Lefty and Two Hands.

So I'm with you fellas. I say Thorsten lays down the "naked" track for Two Hands and everyone does a full version. As proud as I am about Pancho and Lefty, I still think it would be perfect for the group treatment. Maybe Vinyl could do that backing track and we go to town on the editing.

I really think it could be something special.

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Permalink Reply by Vinylhed on April 20, 2012 at 2:01pm

I'm up for taking a stab at laying down a basic track for Pancho & Lefty. I'm used to playing it on a six string, but I'll try and see how it works being picked on my 4 string. If push come to shove, and it's not getting there, would people have a issue with me playing it on the 6 string tin guitar I made? I know that this is a cigar box guitar album, but would it be a problem?

As for keys, I don't know one from another. Although I've played the tuba in a brass band for over 25 years, my grasp of musical theory is non-existent. I just play the dots! I'm not going to be able to transpose the key I play in. Sorry for my short comings.

I'm going to be rather busy over the next 3 weeks, as the play I'm directing goes into production the week after next, and I've got a whole heap of work to do towards my teaching qualification. But, I should be able to find a window somewhere.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on April 20, 2012 at 6:23pm

Vinyl,

A six-string tin guitar fits under the CBG tent, IMHO. Gofer it! Thanks for taking a stab at this. Break a leg with the play; I know exactly how hectic things are for you at the moment, and over the next month.

And with Turtle's offer to edit and splice, and Thorsten's to lay down a backing track for "Two Hands," I think this is all actually gonna work! Amazing what people can do with dedicated application of technology, talent, and heart. You guys rock! I can't think of a finer group of people I'd rather work with, even if it is long distance.