“the first time I set foot in Texas, particularly in Austin, I knew I was home.”

Jerry Jeff Walker was born March 16, 1942 (in upstate New York) he is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is associated with the “outlaw” country scene that centered around Austin, TX, in the 1970s.

“Mr. Bojangles”  is perhaps his most well-known and most-often covered song, written for his debut album in 1968.

Walker was a hard drinker throughout much of his early career (his nickname was “Jacky Jack”), and this reputation became part of his identity. He’s since cleaned up his act,  in part thanks to his wife, Susan, whom he married in 1974. He has continued to record into the ’00s.

His best known album, it is also his best by the way,  is Viva Terlingua, recorded in 1973 in Luckenbach, Texas  with the Lost Gonzo Band. The album went gold, and it’s still his best-selling record. His 70s output especially are highly regarded, sadly none of these albums are available on Spotify.

Happy Birthday  Jerry Jeff Walker!

Mr. Bojangles:

Here with Guy Clark’s – “LA Freeway”:

We have chosen collection from 1988 as the album of the day, it is a very good collection the hits mixed with great lesser known songs, we present Gypsy Songman:

Other Mar-16:

• Tammi Terrell (April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American recording artist and songwriter most notable for her association with Motown Records and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed modest success as a solo singer. Once she was paired with Gaye in 1967, her stardom grew, but on October 14 of that year she collapsed on stage into Gaye’s arms during a performance. She was soon thereafter diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor which eventually led to her death at age 24

 

 

• “T-Bone” Walker (Aaron Thibeaux “T-Bone” Walker, May 28, 1910 – March 16, 1975) American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was one of the most influential pioneers and innovators of the jump blues and electric blues sound. He is the first musician recorded playing blues with the electric guitar. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked him at #47 on their list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”.
  
  

 

• Egil Mosbron – born March 16, 1969. Here with his old band @ 2120 South Michigan Ave (Chess Records):

– Hallgeir

(Sources: Rolling Stone Magazine, Allmusic.com, Wikipedia)