Jeff Walker

Five CD set. The five albums Jerry Jeff Walker recorded for ATCO and Elektra between 1968 and 1979. Inspired by Bob Dylan, a host of singer songwriters came to the fore and one of the most significant was Jerry Jeff Walker. He merged folk, country and rock and as well as writing his own classic compositions and being a natural storyteller, he encouraged young songwriters and gave many of them their own start. Garth Brooks, Robert Earl Keen, Pat Green and Jack Ingram were all inspired by him. He wasn't born Jerry Jeff Walker. Ronald Clyde Crosby was born in Oneonta, Otsego County, New York State on 16th March 1942. That's not a bad name but it's not as good as Jerry Jeff Walker. Jerry Jeff re-invented himself as a lone star Texas country rocker and today is a major figure in the Austin musical community. His most famous song is 'Mr Bojangles'. This affectionate song became a US Top 10 Hit for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and has been recorded by Sammy Davis Jr., Nilsson, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone and Robbie Williams. President Nixon once said it was his favourite song. This CD set also includes compositions by Kris Kristofferson, Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Lee Clayton and John D. Loudermilk. Trivia: 'Mr Bojangles' is NOT about Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson, a tap dancer who found fame in films with Shirley Temple, as Sammy Davis Jr. Thought.

This album was recorded in honor of the 20th anniversary of Jerry Jeff Walker's 1973 album Viva Terlingua, considered to be one of his more well known efforts. As with Viva Terlingua, ¡Viva Luckenbach! was recorded live at the same bar. The album was co-produced by Lloyd Maines, who also sits in on pedal steel guitar and dobro. If the last name is familiar, Lloyd is the father of Natalie Maines, vocalist for Dixie Chicks. This was released by Trued And True Music in association with the Rykodisc label.

Jerry Jeff Walker is strongly associated with the progressive ("outlaw") country scene that centered around Austin, Texas in the 1970s and included such figures as Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Billy Joe Shaver, the Lost Gonzo Band, Waylon Jennings, and Townes Van Zandt.