Jerry Jeff Walker

I have been reading a lot of singer/songwriter biographies in recent years. It's astounding how many people Jerry Jeff Walker helped to break into music either by sharing his stage, or buying their songs and making sure they got credit, or pushing his agent to have a record company sign someone on. Shoot, he drove Jimmy Buffett to Key West the first time Jimmy had been there, and then Jimmy slept on Jerry Jeff's couch. Jerry Jeff busted into Michael Martin Murphy's rented studio when he was recording the album with Wildfire on it, and JJW had two leggy blondes each carrying a case of booze with him. He introduced Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt to Luckenbach, which indirectly lead to the song. When he met Todd Snider, Todd Snider beat Jerry Jeff Walker in a Jerry Jeff Walker trivia contest and they became fast friends. JJW has been a boon to so many singers, musicians, songwriters, and bartenders it's hard even to understand it all. That guy is going to be missed.