Billy Joe Shaver is an American country music singer/songwriter. He was born August 16, 1939 in Corsicana, TX. He wrote most of the songs on the Waylon Jennings album Honky Tonk Heroes. Shaver's 1973 album Old Five and Dimers Like Me is a classic in the outlaw country genre.
After losing his wife to cancer and his mother in 1999, Shaver's son and longtime singing/songwriting partner Eddy died at age 38 of a heroin overdose on December 31, 2000. Shaver nearly died himself the following year when he had a heart attack on stage during an Independence Day show at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas. After successful heart surgery, Billy Joe came back to release a new album entited "Freedom's Child" in 2002.
Billy Joe Shaver is known for his hit "Live Forever" performed by The Highwaymen. He also wrote numerous songs for artists such as Patty Loveless and Willie Nelson. In November of 2005, Billy Joe Shaver performed on the CMT Outlaws 2005.
In 2006, Shaver was inducted in the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.
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