Imagine that you're Buddy Holly's bass player (and that Holly has helped you record a couple of your own tunes), you're on tour in wintry Iowa, and Holly decides to charter a plane to Minnesota to beat the frosty conditions on the tour bus. The plane has room for three passengers, and you're scheduled to be one of the three. But, for altruistic reasons you decide to give your spot to one J,P, Richardson, a.k.a. The Big Bopper, because he has the flu. Hours later the plane goes down killing all aboard, and goes down in music history as the day the music died. Where do you suppose life takes you from there?
If you're Waylon Jennings, you go on to be one of the leaders of the Outlaw Country movement and eventually a Country Music Hall of Famer.
In the aftermath of the plane crash, Jennings went back to being a DJ for a time before returning to recording in the late 60's. Inspired by what Dylan/The Beatles/The Stones were doing with rock music, Jennings (along with Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash) began to bring both a return to country music's roots as well as a harder edge to the songs inspiring what later became known as Outlaw Country. Jennings would have a nice ride through the late 70's (including having a #1 country single of the years as well as winning numerous awards), but the remainder of his career would find him battling and eventually conquering cocaine addiction and never again quite reaching the heights he attained during the early years of his career. Still, at the time of his death in 2002 he'd had 54 albums (11 #1's) and 96 singles (16 #1's) that charted over the course of his career.
Released on his Ol' Waylon LP in 1977, "Luckenbach, Texas" would go on to be the country single of the year and the biggest hit of Jennings' career. For the record, Jennings himself admitted to hating the song and never once having been to Luckenbach (he did eventually play there in 1997). Also for the record, from what I can tell Luckenbach is little more than a hole in the wall 50 miles north of San Antonio with a music venue that occasionally features some name performers--i.e., Austin City Limits it ain't. It does, however, have a much better country music feel to it than say, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Be that as it may, "Luckenbach, Texas" is still one hell of a song. I'm not much of a country music expert (and a middling fan at best), but I know greatness when I hear it (e.g., Patsy Cline's "Crazy" or George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today") and this tune is certainly graced with it. Led by Jennings' remarkable baritone, it's the story of a couple whose fame has caused them more than a little pain and the singer's heartfelt request to get back to the simple life of love and good music (hear, hear!). It references the music of Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Hank Williams, and Mickey Newbury all the while a steel guitar, a soft drum, and a bass provide the ever yearning background music. The song closes with one more version of the chorus, this time with Jennings and his good friend Willie Nelson sharing the vocals, convinced that when you're listening to good music "there ain't nobody feeling no pain." And I can tell you it's certainly worked a time or two for me.
Truer words and all that: "I don't need my name in the marquee lights/ I got my song and I got you with me tonight...."
Enjoy:
Peace,
emaycee
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