To Live's to Fly

At last, the authorized biography of Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), who wrote such unforgettable songs as Pancho & Lefty" and If I Needed You." Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, Texas, hounded by alcoholism and depression, Van Zandt pursued a nomadic existence following his muse, whatever the cost to himself, friends, and relatives. Based on exclusive interviews with those close to Van Zandt, including his best friend Guy Clark and colleagues like Steve Earle and John Prine, To Live's to Fly captures all the humour, hijinks, poetry, and heartbreak of this revered, genuinely outlaw country artist.

“"Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." -- Steve Earle”

"(Townes Van Zandt) was clearly a complex character, and it's a measure of Kruth's...heartfelt narrative that it conveys this with vividness and honesty." Daily Telegraph "This biography gently balances out the good and the bad in all its tragic detail." Q Magazine"

John Kruth is a writer, musician, and author of Bright Moments: The Life and Legacy of Rashaan Roland Kirk. He lives in New York City.

At last, the authorized biography of Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), who wrote such unforgettable songs as Pancho & Lefty" and If I Needed You." Born to a wealthy oil family in Ft. Worth, Texas, hounded by alcoholism and depression, Van Zandt pursued a nomadic existence following his muse, whatever the cost to himself, friends, and relatives. Based on exclusive interviews with those close to Van Zandt, including his best friend Guy Clark and colleagues like Steve Earle and John Prine, To Live's to Fly captures all the humour, hijinks, poetry, and heartbreak of this revered, genuinely outlaw country artist.

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