Biography Wikipedia
Wikipedia:
Honky Tonk Heroes is an album by Waylon Jennings, released in 1973 on RCA Victor. With the exception of "We Had It All", all of the songs on the album were written or co-written by Billy Joe Shaver, who helped move Jennings' music towards the outlaw country sub-genre.
Shaver met Jennings while attending Willie Nelson's first Fourth of July picnic. Days before the concert, while he was playing guitar and singing, Jennings was impressed by his composition, "Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me". Jennings asked Shaver if he had any similar songs, and Shaver later invited Jennings to record a complete album of his songs in Nashville. Jennings did not contact Shaver, who went to Nashville and tried for six months to approach Jennings, who avoided him. Finally, Shaver confronted Jennings during a recording session. Jennings, who agreed to listen to him, was impressed once again by the songs and decided to record an entire album with them.
Jennings' producer, Chet Atkins, was reluctant to release a record consisting of songs written by an unknown songwriter. Since one of Jennings demands for the renewal of his recording contract was complete creative control, Jennings decided to produce the album himself with the help of Tompall Glaser. The executives of RCA Records where also reluctant to release the album, and delayed it until May 1973. Upon release, it was acclaimed by the critics and reached number 14 in Billboard's Top Country albums chart. The singles "You Asked Me To" and "We Had It All" became successful, peaking at number 8 and 28, respectively.
Background
In 1972, songwriter Billy Joe Shaver attended a music festival organized by Willie Nelson, which later became Nelson's annual Fourth of July picnic. Days before the concert, Shaver sat with a group of songwriters performing their songs for each other. When Shaver played one of his compositions, "Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me", Waylon Jennings asked Shaver if he had written it, and if he had more "cowboy songs" like it. When Shaver said he did have more songs, Jennings said he wanted to record an album of those songs, and invited Shaver to record with him in Nashville.
However, Jennings forgot about this offer, and Shaver unsuccessfully tried to contact Jennings. Finally, Shaver decided to confront him at the Music Row headquarters of RCA Records. Through his friend, a local D.J, Roger "Captain Midnight" Schutt, Shaver found Jennings during a recording session with Chet Atkins. Shaver sent Schutt to tell Jennings that he was outside, but Jennings only gave Schutt a 100-dollar bill for Shaver. Shaver was annoyed and offended; he refused the money and waited in the studio for Jennings to come out. When Jennings left the control room with two bikers, he faced Shaver, who reminded him of the album. Shaver told him that he was willing to fight him if he would not listen to his songs. Jennings stopped his entourage from attacking Shaver, and offered to record "Willy the Wandering Gypsy and Me" and to consider other songs. He told Shaver to play one song of his choice, and to continue playing songs if Jennings liked them; but if he did not like the song, Shaver would have to leave. Shaver started playing "Ain't No God in Mexico", followed by "Honky Tonk Heroes" and "Old Five and Dimers and Me". Jennings was so impressed with the songs, he finally decided to record an album with Shaver.
Recording
By 1973 Atlantic Records was attempting to sign Jennings who, with fellow country singer Willie Nelson, had become dissatisfied with RCA Records because of the company's conservative influence upon their music. Nelson, who had signed with Atlantic, was becoming more popular, and this persuaded RCA to renegotiate with Jennings before it lost another potential success. Waylon Jennings' usual producer, Chet Atkins, was reluctant to record the material of an unknown writer, but since he had creative control, Jennings decided to record the album. Jennings produced the album with the help of Tompall Glaser. Honky Tonk Heroes gave Jennings an outlaw image, while the album is considered an important piece in the develop of the outlaw sub-genre in country music.
For the recording session, Jennings replaced the typical studio musicians of Nashville sessions with his band, The Waylors. Jennings and Shaver worked on the album for several weeks. Shaver thought that Jennings was not closely following the phrasing of the tunes, and in some cases he played the songs repeatedly, so that Jennings would understand them. When the album was finished, Jennings wanted to be pictured on the cover in a bar with other people to depict the essence of the album. The cover featured Jennings, Shaver, Captain Midnight (who also wrote the liner notes for the album) and Bee Spears. The album's title came from one of the songs, Honky Tonk Heroes. It was one of Jennings' first albums recorded and released under his creative control. Atkins' only input was his suggestion to add the song "We Had it All", which had previously been a top ten single.
Release and critical reception
Initially, the executives of RCA records, and Atkins, tried to avoid releasing the album. It was finally released in May 1973, and became an immediate success. It peaked at number 14 in Billboard's Top Country Albums and at 185 in the Billboard 200. The single, "We Had it All", peaked at number 28 in Billboard's Country Singles, while "You Asked Me To" peaked at number 8.
The Music Journal remarked the difference of the tracks of the album, with other cowboy songs published previous to the release. It described the album as "certainly brash, lively and down-to-earth. Thoroughly infectious too." Regarding the composition of the songs, Stereo Review wrote: "Billy Joe Shaver songs have [Jennings] in a corral if not in a box ... This is like picking Kris Kristofferson up by the literary ankles, shaking him vigorously, and using every damn nugget that tumbles out." Meanwhile, Allmusic particularly praised the union of Shaver and Jennings as songwriter and singer. The songs were described as: "emotional, funny, and clever, utterly bringing the mythic outlaw ethic to life ... Few country albums have ever been this consistent, and few records, from any genre, have been as consistently compelling."
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Billy Joe Shaver, except where noted.
All songs written and composed by Billy Joe Shaver, except where noted.
