"[54], It was revealed through these proceedings that Van Zandt's annual income in the years before his death had climbed to over $100,000, thanks in large part to the royalties accrued from his songs being covered by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Merle Haggard, Cowboy Junkies, and other major music stars. When Van Zandt died, he left a shoe box full of unreleased poems and lyrics with a request that Broza set them to music. Recording of "Dead Flowers" took place in April 1970 at the Olympic Studios in London. [80], In 2012, Van Zandt was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame. [45][48] After lying outside for an hour, he dragged himself inside and called his ex-wife Jeanene, who sent friends Royann and Jim Calvin to check on him. [78] Folk musician Shakey Graves has credited his fast-paced, rhythmic style of finger picked guitar playing partially to Van Zandt's influence. When the terminally-ill Dorothy Van Zandt learned that her son had impregnated Munsell, she told him, "You're going to do the right thing and honor that baby. Earle has championed the songwriter on a number of occasions: his eldest son, Justin Townes Earle, also a musician, was named after Van Zandt. Although the musician was many years older than he was, Eggers later said that Van Zandt was his "first child. [2][3] He wrote numerous songs, such as "Pancho and Lefty", "For the Sake of the Song", "Tecumseh Valley", "Rex's Blues", and "To Live Is to Fly", that are widely considered masterpieces of American songwriting. Bell was part owner of the bar in Houston where Townes recorded his album Live at the Old Quarter. [9] In 1965, he was accepted into the University of Houston's pre-law program. Bell now owns the "new" Old Quarter in Galveston. Van Zandt told friends he planned on marrying Winterer,[40] but the two never became engaged. [54] Eggers claimed a 50% interest in eighty of Van Zandt's songs. Some of the letters described how his material often served as a crutch for those who were dealing with depression. [1] He began dating Cindy Morgan in 1974. The lyrics to the song are notably dark, and feature the line, "I'll be in my basement room, with a needle and a spoon", a reference to injecting heroin. [50] Understanding that he would most likely drink immediately after leaving the hospital, the physicians refused to prescribe him any painkillers. [84], Van Zandt's Roadsongs album version of The Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers" was used during the final scene of the Coen Brothers' 1998 film, The Big Lebowski. Recording of "Dead Flowers" took place in April 1970 at the Olympic Studios in London. [49] Jeanene informed the surgeon that one of Townes' previous rehab doctors had told her detoxing could kill him. Live performances of the song from 1995 can be found on the Stones' album Stripped and its 2016 edition Totally Stripped. "[33] He divorced his estranged second wife and married Munsell on March 14, 1983. [10][11] He had two siblings, Bill (1949–2009) and Donna (1941–2011). Throughout the course of his career, Don Williams was known for two things: consistency and great songs. I'll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt by Brian T. Atkinson was released on New Year's Day 2012 by Texas A&M University Press, coinciding with the 15th anniversary of Van Zandt's death. Townes's parents were Harris Williams Van Zandt (1913–1966) and Dorothy Townes (1919–1983). [8][53], In the years immediately following Van Zandt's death, his former manager and label owner Kevin Eggers issued 14 albums of both new and previously unreleased material by the singer, all without consent of his estate (represented by Jeanene Van Zandt and his three children). 2 contributors total, … The album showcased Van Zandt solo at a 1973 concert before a small audience, and less elaborately produced than many of his early records. [43] Medical records from his time in recovery centers show that he believed his drinking had become a problem around 1973, and by 1982 he was drinking at least a pint of vodka daily. 227,668 views, added to favorites 2,755 times. Van Zandt had a small cameo appearance in the video for the song. Judgment and insight is impaired. Soon after, he attempted to join the Air Force, but was rejected because of a doctor's diagnosis that labelled him "an acute manic-depressive who has made minimal adjustments to life". His musical style has often been described as melancholy and features rich, poetic lyrics. [26][27][28], In the mid-1970s, Van Zandt split from his longtime manager, Kevin Eggers. [42] On at least one occasion, he shot up heroin in the presence of his son J.T., who was only eight years old at the time. [83] Gillian Welch inducted Van Zandt by telling stories about how he had come to her early gigs in Nashville and how he had bolstered her confidence in writing sad songs. Tracks from the aborted Seven Come Eleven debacle later surfaced on The Nashville Sessions. John Townes Van Zandt[1] (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997), better known as Townes Van Zandt, was an American singer-songwriter. "[56][58] The quote was printed on a sticker featured on the packing of At My Window, much to Van Zandt's displeasure. The University of Colorado at Boulder accepted Van Zandt as a student in 1962. [45] He grew increasingly frail during the mid-1990s, with friends noting that he seemed to have "withered. show chords YouTube Clip hide all tabs go to top. They met on December 9, 1980 at a memorial for John Lennon. [16] His family soon moved to Houston, Texas. For much of the 1970s, he lived in a simple shack without electricity or a telephone. Dead Flowers tab by Townes Van Zandt. In 1994, he was admitted to the hospital to detox, during which time a doctor told Jeanene Van Zandt that trying to detox Townes again could potentially kill him. UK Pearl Jam tribute band Pearl Jamm have changed their named to Legal Jam after Pearl Jam but the English band in a legal jam. He told the couple that he had sustained the injury while getting out of bed, and refused medical treatment. [49] She did not heed these warnings, and instead checked Townes out of the hospital against medical advice. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The 25 best country rock songs of all time", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dead_Flowers_(Rolling_Stones_song)&oldid=1007092335, Articles needing additional references from January 2012, All articles needing additional references, Short description is different from Wikidata, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from July 2018, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from July 2018, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz work identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 16 February 2021, at 12:27. [45] The medical staff tried to explain to her that detoxing a "late-term alcoholic" at home would be ill-advised, and he would have a better chance at recovering under hospital supervision. [41] At various points, his friends saw him shoot up not just heroin, but also cocaine, vodka, as well as a mixture of rum and Coke. [7], Townes's parents were Harris Williams Van Zandt (1913–1966) and Dorothy Townes (1919–1983). [2], In 1972, Van Zandt recorded tracks for an album with a working title of Seven Come Eleven, which remained unreleased for many years due to a dispute between his manager Kevin Eggers and producer Jack Clement. After nearly ten years of legal battles, the court sided with the estate, issuing "injunctive relief against Eggers, restraining him from reproducing or distributing any of Van Zandt's songs. The soundtrack to The Big Lebowski, the Coen brothers' follow-up to their breakthrough film Fargo, is an odd mixture of opera, world music, pop, jazz, exotica, folk and blues.In other words, it's as idiosyncratic as the Coens themselves, and the weird array of styles makes sense in practice, not on paper. But mental illness and alcoholism foreclosed a professional career, and much of his adult life was spent in grinding poverty. [51], By the time Van Zandt was checked out of the hospital early the next morning, he had begun to show signs of delirium tremens. [8] Some of his ashes were placed underneath a headstone in the Van Zandt family plot at the Dido Cemetery in Dido, Texas, near Fort Worth. For much of the 1970s, he lived a reclusive life outside of Nashville in a tin-roofed, bare-boards shack with no heat, plumbing or telephone, occasionally appearing in town to play shows. [60], His Texas-grounded impact stretched farther than country. 1 on the country charts in 1983. The Grateful Dead - History Of The Grateful Dead, Volume One (Bear's Choice) The Grateful Dead ... Townes Van Zandt - Delta Momma Blues Townes Van Zandt - For The Sake Of The Song [30] Dylan was reportedly a "big fan" of Townes and claimed to have all of his records; Van Zandt admired Dylan's songs, but didn't care for his celebrity. He auditioned for Erickson's bandmate Tommy Hall, but Hall rejected him.[20][21][22]. Harris was a corporate lawyer , and his career required the family … "[43] At various points in his life, he was prescribed to take the antidepressant Zoloft and the mood stabilizer lithium. [1] As a result, he wrote the song "Cowboy Junkies Lament" for the group, with a verse about each respective member of the band. He also retained sole ownership of his family inheritance of ownership in oil lease and mineral rights.[38]. [8] Fearing that his family would move again, he willingly decided to attend the Shattuck School in Faribault, Minnesota. David Bowie, Waylon Jennings, Janis Joplin, Woodstock, John Wayne and More The couple divorced on January 16, 1970. [48], Determined to finish the album that he had scheduled to record with Shelley and Two Dollar Guitar, Van Zandt arrived at the Memphis studio being pushed in a wheelchair by road manager Harold Eggers. [citation needed]. The Daily Nonpareil death notices and Death Notices for Council Bluffs Iowa area . These songs eventually raised Van Zandt to near-legend status in American and European songwriting circles. Eggers either could not or refused to pay for the studio sessions, so Clement erased the master tapes. "Dead Flowers" was written during the period when the Stones were stepping into country territory, when Richards's friendship with Gram Parsons was influencing his songwriting. [10] [11] He had two siblings, Bill (1949–2009) and Donna (1941–2011). [54], On October 21, 2008, a number of Van Zandt's personal possessions were auctioned off at The Northside in Akron, Ohio at a benefit for Rex "Wrecks" Bell, a close friend and bandmate who was the inspiration for the song "Rex's Blues". "Townes Van Zandt's life was the reverse of the country music rags-to-riches story. No. The song was included on the movie's soundtrack. [54] An out-of-court settlement in 2006 granted the Van Zandts conditional control of Harold Eggers' mastered recordings while Eggers retaining a 50% ownership of seven albums and some royalties for the remaining recordings. From Carrie Underwood to Townes Van Zandt ... "Dead Flowers" - with Keith Richards, Hank Williams III, and Ryan Adams ... 'Sons of Anarchy' + 'The Walking Dead… Both Richards and Mick Taylor contribute the 'honky-tonk' style lead guitar lines throughout the album version. [45] Townes Van Zandt died in the early morning hours of January 1, 1997 at the age of 52. In the spring of his second year, his parents flew to Boulder to bring Townes back to Houston, apparently worried about his binge drinking and episodes of depression. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it appears on their 1971 album Sticky Fingers as side two's fourth track. When he was young, the now-discredited insulin shock therapy erased much of his long-term memory. [31] In May and June 1990, he opened for the Cowboy Junkies during a two-month-long tour of the United States and Canada, which exposed him to a younger generation of fans. The book contains interviews with longtime Van Zandt friends Guy Clark, Billy Joe Shaver, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Kris Kristofferson, Tom Russell and Peter Rowan as well as younger disciples such as Scott Avett (the Avett Brothers), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Kasey Chambers, Josh Ritter, and Grace Potter. [55], Van Zandt has been referred to as a cult musician and "a songwriter's songwriter. They took him back to their home, and he spent the Christmas week on their couch, unable to get up even to use the bathroom. He soon signed with Eggers' new label, Tomato Records. He has been cited as a source of inspiration by such notable artists as Bob Dylan,[30] Neil Young,[61] Willie Nelson,[62] Guthrie Thomas, John Prine,[62] Lyle Lovett,[63] Chelsea Wolfe,[64] Scott Avett of The Avett Brothers,[65] Emmylou Harris,[62] Nanci Griffith,[62] Cowboy Junkies,[66] Vetiver,[67] Guy Clark,[62] Devendra Banhart,[68] Norah Jones,[69] Robert Plant & Alison Krauss,[70] The Be Good Tanyas and Jolie Holland,[71] Rowland S. Howard, Michael Weston King, Hayes Carll, Josh Ritter,[72] Gillian Welch,[73] Garth Brooks,[74] Simon Joyner,[75] Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes,[76] Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon,[77] Laura Marling, Frank Turner. Earle wrote the song "Fort Worth Blues" as a tribute to the singer in the late 1990s, and in 2009 released an album titled Townes, which featured all covers of Van Zandt songs. [30] According to Johnny Guess, Dylan later arranged another meeting with the songwriter. His official cause of death was "natural" cardiac arrhythmia. [2] The following year, he recorded Flyin' Shoes; he did not release another album until 1987's At My Window. Harris was a corporate lawyer, and his career required the family to move several times during the 1950s and 1960s. He suffered from a series of drug addictions[6] and alcoholism,[6] and was given a psychiatric diagnosis of bipolar disorder. [8] He quit school around 1967, having been inspired by his singer-songwriter heroes to pursue a career in playing music. The resulting album was Night Dawn: The Unpublished Poetry of Townes Van Zandt. [2] During the decade, two books, a documentary film (Be Here to Love Me), and numerous magazine articles about the singer were written. [35] Townes's only source of income after making that change was money received from concert engagements,[36] and even then, Townes frequently visited his ex-wife and gave her the money in his pockets. Newbury persuaded Van Zandt to go to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was introduced by Newbury to the man who became his longtime producer, "Cowboy" Jack Clement. Van Zandt", "Townes Van Zandt: Live at the Old Quarter", "Townes Van Zandt – Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas", "Townes Van Zandt: For the Sake of the Song", "Townes Without Pity: The Battle for Townes Van Zandt's legacy", "Townes Van Zandt – messages from the outside", "Townes Van Zandt – Frequently Asked Questions, No. "[90] Eddie Cockrell of Variety called the film "a dignified and wistful look at the unusual life, difficult career and lasting influence" of Van Zandt. The UCLA student hails from Greenwood, South Carolina and met Styles on a blind date. "[92], In April 2008, the University of North Texas Press published Robert Earl Hardy's biography on the songwriter, titled A Deeper Blue: The Life and Music of Townes Van Zandt, which took more than eight years of research, including interviews with Mickey Newbury, Jack Clement, Guy and Susanna Clark, Mickey White, Rex Bell, Dan Rowland, Richard Dobson, John Lomax III, Van Zandt's brother and sister, cousins, his three ex-wives, and many others. At the time of his death, he had begun a long-distance relationship with a woman named Claudia Winterer from Darmstadt, Germany. Van Zandt II, was born to them on April 11, 1969, in Houston. However, he continued writing songs, such as "Marie" and "The Hole". Jagger commented in 2003: The 'Country' songs we recorded later, like "Dead Flowers" on Sticky Fingers or "Far Away Eyes" on Some Girls, are slightly different (than our earlier ones). At one point, his heroin habit was so intense that he offered Kevin Eggers the publishing rights to all of the songs on each of his first four albums for $20. [2][4] Much of Van Zandt's life was spent touring various dive bars,[5] often living in cheap motel rooms and backwood cabins. [41] After Van Zandt's death his road manager, Harold Eggers, released video and audio recordings from the songwriter's concerts. Shelley canceled the sessions due to the songwriter's erratic behavior and drunkenness. Van Zandt was addicted to heroin and alcohol throughout his adult life. She later reported that after getting back to his home in Smyrna, Tennessee, and giving him alcohol, he became "lucid, in a real good mood, calling his friends on the phone. During his early years, Van Zandt was respected for his guitar playing and fingerpicking ability. Another child, Katie Belle, was born February 14, 1992. [7][8] Afterwards, his mother claimed her "biggest regret in life was that she had allowed that treatment to occur". [12] In 1952, the family transplanted from Fort Worth to Midland, Texas for six months before moving to Billings, Montana. Guns N' Roses - Dead flowers The Rolling Stones - Dead Flowers Steve Earle - Dead Flowers Townes Van Zandt - Dead Flowers Miranda Lambert - Dead Flowers Demon Hunter - Dead Flowers: auto scroll beats size up size down change color hide chords simplify chords drawings columns. [17] After the Jester closed, he began to regularly perform (and occasionally live) at Sand Mountain Coffee House. [52], Two services were held for Van Zandt: one in Texas, mostly attended by family; and another in a large Nashville church, attended by friends, acquaintances, and fans. But it’s her own death Townes is contemplating in these thoughtful three minutes. 3 country hit in 1981 with "If I Needed You," and Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, the pair taking "Pancho and Lefty" to No. By the time he consented to receive medical care, eight days had passed since the injury. [37] Following their divorce in 1994, his only possessions were a 1989 GMC Truck with camper shell, a 1984 Honda Shadow motorcycle and a 1983 Starwind 22-foot boat named Dorothy. Van Zandt remembered his time in Colorado fondly and often visited it as an adult. They had no children. His influence has been cited by countless artists across multiple genres, and his music has been recorded or performed by Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Merle Haggard, Norah Jones, Emmylou Harris, Counting Crows, Steve Earle, Robert Earl Keen Jr., Nanci Griffith, Guy Clark, Wade Bowen, Gillian Welch, Pat Green, Colter Wall, Jason Isbell, Calvin Russell, Natalie Maines, and Frank Turner. [32], Van Zandt married Fran Peterson on August 26, 1965; a son, John Townes "J.T." [45] On December 31, X-rays revealed that Van Zandt had an impacted left femoral neck fracture in his hip, and several corrective surgeries were performed. [citation needed], In 1965, Van Zandt began playing regular shows at the Jester Lounge in Houston for $10 per night. "[56][57] Musician Steve Earle, who met him in 1978 and considered Van Zandt a mentor, once called Van Zandt "the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that. I just thought that Elvis had all the money in the world, all the Cadillacs and all the girls, and all he did was play the guitar and sing. [2], Born in Fort Worth, Texas into a wealthy family, Van Zandt was a third-great-grandson of Isaac Van Zandt (a prominent leader of the Republic of Texas) and a second great-nephew of Khleber Miller Van Zandt (a major in the Confederate army and one of the founders of Fort Worth). He received three months of insulin shock therapy, which erased much of his long-term memory. It is Taylor who performs the guitar solo in place of a third verse. Born into wealth and privilege, he was the son of a Texas oil man. [1], Van Zandt's final marriage was to Jeanene Munsell. [34][44] His final and longest period of sobriety during his adult life was a period of about a year in 1989 and 1990. Despite critical acclaim, he remained a cult figure. Explore Life Stories, Offer Condolences & Send Flowers. Richards's choppier fills act primarily as a response to Jagger's vocal lines during the verses, while Taylor's more fluid licks counteract with the vocals of the chorus. [79], In 1994, Israeli singer David Broza performed with Van Zandt during a Writers in the Round concert in Houston. "Dead Flowers" is a song recorded by the Rolling Stones. The mystery girl in Harry Styles's love song 'Carolina' is 20-year-old Townes Adair Jones. "[45] Jim Calvin shared a marijuana joint with him,[50] and he was also given about four Tylenol PM tablets. Dead Flowers Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards Published by ABKCO Music, Inc. [citation needed], In 2004, the film Be Here to Love Me,[88] chronicling the artist's life and musical career, was released in the United States. [6] A revival of interest in Van Zandt blossomed in the 2000s. "[1] In 1958 the family moved to Boulder, Colorado. "Dead Flowers" was performed live during the album tours for Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. in 1970–72, then once during the Black and Blue Tour in 1976. In his later years, he recorded less frequently, his voice and singing style altered in part because of his drug addiction and alcoholism. [15] He received a score of 1170 when he took the SAT in January 1962. 17", "Townes van Zandt: He lived for the sake of the song Oakland Tribune – Find Articles", "Unknown Rooms – A Collection of Acoustic Songs", "Scott Avett plays Townes Van Zandt: Greensboro Woman", "Josh Ritter interview – Triste Magazine", "Gillian Welch – The Revelator Collection", "A Conversation with Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon", "Townes Van Zandt: 'The Greatest Musician You've Never Heard Of' By Frank Turner", "Reddit AMA: I am Alejandro Rose-Garcia AKA Shakey Graves, AMA", "Townes Van Zandt's bequest finds new life at 'Dawn'", "STEVE VON TILL, SCOTT KELLY & WINO Confirm Townes Van Zandt Tribute; Album To See US Release Via Neurot in June", "ACL's New Season Launches with the Hall of Fame 2015 Special", "Gillian Welch-Townes Van Zandt induction into ACL Hall of Fame", "Townes Van Zandt TV & Film Sync Placements", "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)", "Townes Van Zandt: Be Here to Love Me (Full Film)", "Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt Movie Reviews", "Hard-Living Folk Icon in a Sympathetic but Frank Doc", "Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt", "A Deeper Blue: The Life and Music of Townes Van Zandt (9781574412475): Robert Earl Hardy: Books", "Townes Van Zandt's 'Sky Blue' Offers Insight Into A Mercurial Mind At His Prime", Townes Van Zandt: The Self-Destructive Hobo Saint, Travels with Townes Van Zandt by Steve Hawley July 2003, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Townes_Van_Zandt&oldid=1006833713, Articles with dead external links from September 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with disputed statements from May 2011, Articles with disputed statements from April 2013, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2019, Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SELIBR identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SUDOC identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with multiple identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Second Lovers Song" / "Tecumseh Valley" (1969), "Come Tomorrow" / "Delta Mama Blues" (1971), "If I Needed You" / "Sunshine Boy" (1972), "Honky Tonkin'" / "Snow Don't Fall" (1972), "Fraulein" / "Don't Let the Sunshine Fool Ya" (1972), "Pancho and Lefty" / "Heavenly Houseboat Blues" (1972), "Pancho and Lefty" / "If I Needed You" (1973), "Who Do You Love" / "Dollar Bill Blues" (1978), "When She Don't Need Me" / "No Place to Fall" (1978), "Dead Flowers" / "Fraulein" / "Racing in the Street" (1993) – German CD single, "Riding the Range" / "Dirty Old Town" (1996), "Ain't Leavin' Your Love" (1999) – US CD single, "Snowin' on Raton" (2001) – US CD single; from, This page was last edited on 15 February 2021, at 01:42. Van Zandt and Munsell divorced on May 2, 1994. [25] The album received positive reviews,[26] and is considered by many to be among the best albums that the songwriter ever released. A more apt or indeed timely tribute would be hard to imagine. [87], In the film Country Strong, the Austin Statesman describes the character of Beau Hutton as "the next Townes Van Zandt". Vintage Americana Tee Shirts for Men and T-Shirts for Women and Kids made in the USA. [39] The two met in November 1995 during a concert of his in Hanau, Germany. [82], On June 18, 2015, Van Zandt was inducted into the second year's ceremony of the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame, along with Asleep at the Wheel, Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark and Flaco Jimenez. Among the tracks written for these albums were "To Live Is to Fly", "Pancho and Lefty", and "If I Needed You". [1], The years between 1968 and 1973 proved to be Van Zandt's most prolific era. Townes Van Zandt included a version of the song on his album of live covers Roadsongs; this version was used in the film The Big Lebowski. [32], Van Zandt continued writing and performing through the 1990s, though his output slowed noticeably as time went on. [12] In these Houston clubs, he met fellow musicians Lightnin' Hopkins, Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Doc Watson. At times, he became drunk on stage and forgot the lyrics to his songs. [19], At one point around 1967, Van Zandt was roommates with 13th Floor Elevators singer Roky Erickson. [24], In 1977, Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas was released. "[60] But he concluded at the end of the same article that, "As a songwriter, you won't find anybody better." The Drag in Austin was shut down due to Dylan being in town; Van Zandt drove his motorhome to the cordoned-off area, after which Dylan boarded the vehicle and requested to hear him play several songs. The song has been widely covered. [85] Since his death, Van Zandt's recordings have been licensed by his family for use in a number of films and television programs, including Stepmom, Ozark, Six Feet Under, In Bruges, Calvary, Crazy Heart, Leaves of Grass, Seven Psychopaths, Deadwood, Breaking Bad, True Detective and Hell or High Water (Dollar Bill Blues). Erickson insisted that he join the Elevators on bass, even though he was a guitarist who had never played bass before.