“Hopefully things will work out where we become friends enough so that he gives me back my bullet.”
I haven’t checked thoroughly, but it seems unlikely that Casals and Shaver played together.
Shaver certainly looks the part of the outlaw country style musician he is. However, it always is important to separate the legend from the real people, especially when the legend tends to line up with the image that will make the most money. Since Shaver became identified with outlaw country, he has reason to sound tougher than he is. But, perhaps, he indeed is a hard case.
What is clear is that Shaver has had an interesting life. He lost two fingers in a lumber mill accident, lost a son to heroin, married, divorced and remarried the same woman “several times” (according to Wikipedia) and had songs recorded by Willie Nelson, Nanci Griffin, Dickie Betts, Kris Kristofferson, Tom T. Hall Elvis Presley and others. He even was immortalized in a song written by Bob Dylan and Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter. He may or many not be tough. But it certainly is clear that he knows what he is doing.
Above is “Georgia on a Fast Train” and below is “Honky Tonk Heroes.”
Wikipedia, Rolling Stone, Twang Nation and Billy Shaver’s website were used to write this post. Photo: Giovanni Gallucci.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCindvLbMTU
