This website represents the 20 year working relationship of Townes Van Zandt and myself, Harold F. Eggers, Jr.
I am launching it today, March 7, 2007, in recognition of Townes' birthday. There is much more to come and many stories to tell, so I hope you will return to watch the progress. In the coming weeks, expect photo and press galleries to supplement the information I've collected in the timeline.
I worked with Townes Van Zandt over a twenty year span, from 1977 til his death of January 1, 1997. I wore many hats while working him as the years past; road manager, agent, manager, business partner and friend.
Working with Townes, I experienced all the highs and lows of this extremely intense creative artist. Touring and living a dialy existence with Townes was like the ultimate roller coaster ride, each night totally different from the previous, zig-zagging across North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
Our friendship became stronger as the years past. A friend is often the best mirror of ourselves, someone who tells you exactly how it is with no reservations, and this was the comradare we had. Townes believed in brutal honestly, and this became just that between us. I learned the music business in the school of Townes Van Zandt. We became partners in crime, and held onto our ownership of the recordings we did together. Our office was on the road, in the cars, trains, and planes as we toured internationally.
As we traveled, a daily conversation about future plans relating to music projects we would work on together was discussed. In 1987, I co-produced my first album with Townes, "Live & Obscure" at 12th & Porter, Nashville, Tennessee, and continued as co-owner of Townes' live recordings until his death.
Austin KUT DJ Larry Monroe narrarated a TVZ CD called "Documentary" that I produced. I used Townes' spoken word and music clearly reflecting his music and life. I started working with Townes on his biography a year before his death. Townes revealed his life, music, creativity, demons, and inner soul in detail during this period, and expressed exactly what he wanted to be in this book, as was with his future live recordings releases after he was gone. He said, "the main thing is to tell the truth, and not to exclude anything."
Of all the miles and conversations I had with Townes over the years, I can still hear him and remember those maddening days clearly. Townes believed he was the ghost of Hank Williams and Van Gogh, and I can honestly say that he was that and more.
Townes Van Zandt was one of a kind, From the extremely creative singer/songwriter, poet, story teller, and comedian that he was, a gentle soul, to the tormented genius that sacrificed himself for the sake of the song, that lived a madman daily existance, he left behind him a body of work that will be remembered forever. The highway was his home, and now the universe to travel and roam.