Fort Worth Blues

Album: El Corazon (1997)
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Songfacts®:

  • This was written as a tribute to Texas songwriter Townes Van Zandt, who had recently died. Steve Earle met Van Zandt while in Houston, Texas as a teenager. It was early in Earle's career and Van Zandt served as a model of inspiration for the aspiring songwriter.
  • Fort Worth is the city in Texas where Van Zandt was born and raised.
  • Steve performed this song on the TV show Austin City Limits. The show was a tribute to Townes, and the singer/songwriter Nanci Griffith could be seen next to Steve crying as he performed the song. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    David - Manannah, MN

Comments: 6

  • Zep from Usafor those who might not know, van Zandt's [some number of greats] grand father was involved in the founding of ft. worth and he was born there.
  • Neil from Austin, TxFort Worth has produced several unsung incredible talents. Besides Townes Van Zandt, there is Freddie King, Delbert McClinton, Buddy Starcher,Yodelin' Kenny Roberts and David Persons.
    Fort Worth has been in many ways every bit as influential as Austin, and both have blown Houston, San Antonio and Dallas out of the water for the quality and character of the musicians they have produced. Of no city is this truer than Fort Worth, and Van Zandt and the others I have listed (Persons is probably the least known and most unsung, yet has written some of the best stuff out there) were brought up in a unique stew of music, storytelling, blues and religious faith that has, and continues to, shape a unique sound and a unique kind of songwriter - and song.
  • Jeff from Boulder , Coin a recent dream I'm singing and teaching words of Steve Earle. It's just a hunch (I'm not sure) but it could have been Ft. Worth Blues.

    Steve's Songs,

    in a recent dream I'm singing and teaching
    Steve Earle's songs to school children

    some of Steve's songs are sacred to me
    so much so that I am not ashamed

    to sing and teach them
    to school kids

    Steve's songs fill me with such hope and sadness
    they are one of the few things that
    can heal my madness

    it's also my soul's opinion that his songs
    have the capacity to heal the world's
    meanness and madness

    they are classless, timeless...eternal
    I'd be proud to have them
    sung at my funeral

    so I sing and teach Steve's songs
    to grade schooler's

    that they might bring comfort
    to a new generation
    of souls

    2010

    Jeffery J. Rahn


  • Joanna from Kyle, Txi love Steve Earle, he and I both grew up in Texas, right down the road from each other....as a recovering addict myself, his story, and his music, have always been a great inspiration in my life.

    God bless Steve Earle and Texas and Townes Van Zandt.....
  • Ben from Prince George, CanadaSteve Earle tells a great story about his days of being a heroin junkie. He says Townes shows up at his door , and proceeds to berate him for using drugs (Which was ironic, because for Townes to be there was a classic case of the blind leading the blind). Townes askd him if he was using needles and Steve said yeah. Townes said "Clean ones? Every time?"

    Steve says, "Of course Townes. I ain't stupid."

    Townes ends the conversation with, "Well ok then. I got this really cool song to show you!"
  • Ursula from Napa, CaThat was Nanci Griffith.
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