Billy Joe Shaver took his place early on as one of Texas’ songwriter laureates, reinforcing it with an astounding output over the years. The aptly titled Greatest Hits (Compadre) serves as the must-have refresher course in his leathery repertoire. Chestnuts such as “Georgia on a Fast Train” and “Old Chunk of Coal” meet with two new cuts, “Melody” and “Light a Candle for Me.” “Step on Up” brings in his late son, Eddy Shaver, posthumously, a bittersweet track for honky-tonk heroes and old five-and-dimers like Billy Joe Shaver. At a certain stage of their careers, all artists should record an album like David Ball‘s Heartaches by the Numbers (Shanachie): favorite, career-shaping songs. Ball, jokingly called the “human jukebox” for his love of trad country, tackles his influences with gusto and panache (“There Stands the Glass,” “Faded Love,” “Half as Much”) and knows his turf well: He was one-third of Austin’s beloved Uncle Walt’s Band and went platinum in 1993 with “Thinkin’ Problem.” “Stop Me From Lovin’ You,” the killer opening track of Dickie Lee Erwin‘s Poppin’ Johnny (Freedom), sets the pace for this barrel of high country tunes. Erwin’s never been one to play it safe – he’s played with Ronnie Lane and been produced by Hunt Sales – and this fine local collection displays his cowboy heart and denim soul with real class. This Side of the Big River (Collector’s Choice Music) was a milestone in Chip Taylor‘s career when first released in 1975. In fact, Warner Bros. was so unprepared for it they had to assemble a country music division, yet it set forth the path of roots-country songwriting for which Taylor is best known today. Nearly 35 years on, this mixed bag of Taylornalia proves as much a signpost of the progressive country movement as anything by Michael Martin Murphy or Willie Nelson.
This article appears in April 6 • 2007.