Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe Shaver was an American country music singer and songwriter. His work came to the attention of Waylon Jennings, who filled most of his album Honky Tonk Heroes with Shaver’s songs. Other artists, including Elvis Presley and Kris Kristofferson, began to record his music. He was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006.

About Billy Joe Shaver in brief

Summary Billy Joe ShaverBilly Joe Shaver was an American country music singer and songwriter. He was born in Corsicana, Texas, and raised by his mother, Victory Watson Shaver. Shaver left school after the eighth grade to help his uncles pick cotton, but occasionally returned to school to play sports. He joined the U.S. Navy on his 17th birthday. After his discharge, he worked a series of dead-end jobs, including trying to be a rodeo cowboy. His work came to the attention of Waylon Jennings, who filled most of his album Honky Tonk Heroes with Shaver’s songs. Other artists, including Elvis Presley and Kris Kristofferson, began to record his music. After losing his wife, Brenda, and his mother to cancer in 1999, Shaver lost his son and longtime guitarist Eddy, who died at age 38 of a heroin overdose on December 31, 2000. In 2006, he was inducted in the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.

He later served as spiritual advisor to Texas independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman. His voice is heard on the themes on the album Stormy Love by Bugs Henderson, and on the television show Adult Swim, Squidbillies, The opening themes, collectively called Warrior Man, are only a stanza and end with a sotto voce spoken-voiced voce. He died of a heart attack on stage during an Independence Day show at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas. In 1999, he performed at the Grand Ole Opry. After successful heart surgery, he came back to release Freedom’s Child in 2002. In November 2005, he performing on the CMT Outlaws 2005. He is also the subject of the song “I’m listening to Billy Joe Shavar, And I’m reading James Joyce’s The Screwtape Letters” by James Joyce. His son Eddy died in December 2000.