Listening to Townes Van Zandt makes me wonder if some folks aren’t just born sad. The longing in his voice tips me over the edge, and I usually find myself misty eyed at least once while listening to any of his records. His first record, For the Sake of the Song, released in 1968, is no exception.
Townes was a brilliant songwriter and a beautiful performer. His lyrics are as smart as they are touching. You get a true sense of the man through his songs: a bright, sharp mind, paired with a haunted heart, a restless soul.
Today is the anniversary of Townes’ birth, and as good a time as any to remember him and the beautiful songs he left for us, because we are so lucky to have them.
