{"title":"Brian T Atkinson","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"i-ll-be-here-in-the-morning-book-brian-t-atkinson-9781603445269","title":"I'll Be Here in the Morning","description":"The writer of such influential songs as Pancho and Lefty, To Live’s to Fly, If I Needed You, and For the Sake of the Song, Townes Van Zandt exerted an influence on at least two generations of Texas musicians that belies his relatively brief, deeply troubled life. Indeed, Van Zandt has influenced millions worldwide in the years since his death, and his impact is growing rapidly. Respected singer\/songwriter John Gorka speaks for many when he says, \"\"Pancho and Lefty changed—it unchained—my idea of what a song could be.” In this tightly woven, intelligently written book, Brian T. Atkinson interviews both well-known musicians and up-and-coming artists to reveal, in the performers’ own words, how their creative careers have been shaped by the life and work of Townes Van Zandt. Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, Billy Joe Shaver, Rodney Crowell, Lucinda Williams, and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the established musicians who share their impressions of the breathtakingly beautiful tunes and lyrics he created, along with their humorous, poignant, painful, and indelible memories of witnessing Van Zandt’s rise and fall. Atkinson balances the reminiscences of seasoned veterans with the observations of relative newcomers to the international music scene, such as Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Josh Ritter, and Scott Avett (the Avett Brothers), presenting a nuanced view of Van Zandt’s singular body of work, his reckless lifestyle, and his long-lasting influence. Forewords by “Cowboy” Jack Clement and longtime Van Zandt manager and friend Harold F. Eggers Jr. open the book, and each chapter begins with an introduction in which Atkinson provides context and background, linking each interviewee to Van Zandt’s legacy. Historians, students, and fans of all music from country and folk to rock and grunge will find new insights and recall familiar pleasures as they read I’ll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49568901792017,"sku":"GOR008206776","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50681923240209,"sku":"CIN1603445269VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52153533563153,"sku":"CIN1603445269G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1603445269.jpg?v=1752315268"},{"product_id":"messenger-book-brian-t-atkinson-9781623497781","title":"The Messenger","description":"Texas singer-songwriter Hayes Carll declared, \"Ray would be at the top of the list if I were gonna read about somebody's life.\" In The Messenger: The Songwriting Legacy of Ray Wylie Hubbard, author, journalist, and music producer Brian T. Atkinson demonstrates why Carll and so many others hold Ray Wylie Hubbard in such high regard. Atkinson takes readers into and beyond the seedy bar in Red River, New Mexico, where the incident occurred that inspired Hubbard's most famous song, \"Redneck Mother.\" Hubbard tells the stories, and Atkinson enlists other musicians to expound on the nature of his abiding influence as songwriter, musician, and unflinching teller of uncomfortable truths.   Featuring interviews with well-known artists such as Eric Church, Steve Earle, Kinky Friedman, Chris Robinson, and Jerry Jeff Walker, and also mining the insights of up-and-comers such as Elizabeth Cook, Jaren Johnston, Ben Kweller, Aaron Lee Tasjan, and Paul Thorn, The Messenger makes clear why so many musicians across a wide spectrum admire Ray Wylie Hubbard. Readers will also learn why \"Redneck Mother,\" the song that put Hubbard on the map for most listeners, is also a curse, of sorts, in its diminution of both his spiritual depth as a lyricist and his multidimensional musical reach. As Hubbard himself says, \"The song probably should have never been written, let alone recorded, let alone recorded again.. . . the most important part of songwriting is right after you write a song, ask yourself, \"Can I sing this for twenty-five years?'\"    Atkinson's work makes a convincing case that Ray Wylie Hubbard's truest and most lasting contributions will long outlive him. And, with a couple of good breaks, they may even outlive \"Redneck Mother.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50116313612561,"sku":"CIN1623497787G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50700162826513,"sku":"CIN1623497787VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":53645994918161,"sku":"NIN9781623497781","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1623497787.jpg?v=1761990642"},{"product_id":"true-love-cast-out-all-evil-book-brian-t-atkinson-9781648430435","title":"True Love Cast Out All Evil","description":"\u003cp\u003eTranscendence came with a price, Brian T. Atkinson writes in his introduction to this collection of reflections by and about pioneer psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson (1947-2019). The singer and songwriter who fronted the 13th Floor Elevators burst onto the Texas music scene in 1966 with the release of You're Gonna Miss Me, the band's only charting single, which featured Erickson's primal vocal stylings. The band attracted considerable regional attention, including interest from a young Janis Joplin, who considered joining the group before opting to go to San Francisco instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough his interviews with those who were there and presentation of Erickson's own words, Atkinson chronicles how Erickson was haunted for most of his life by mental illness, likely compounded by his liberal usage of hallucinogenic and other drugs. Despite that, however, his influence on Texas musicians of various genres is vast. As Billy Gibbons of Z Top attests in his foreword, He stands alone to this day and is revered as an artist because he had the gift of a wonderful voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with his previous books on Townes Van Zandt, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Mickey Newbury, Atkinson has recorded hours of interviews with veteran and upcoming musicians who were impacted by Roky Erickson. Along with the insights of long-time music journalists like Joe Nick Patoski and the bittersweet recollections of friends and family members like Mikel Erickson, brother of the singer, this work includes poetry and lyrics written by Erickson during his confinement at Rusk State Hospital in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The picture that emerges is that of a brilliant, troubled mind and an artist whose influence extended far beyond the period of his greatest notoriety, continuing even beyond his death.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTranscendence came with a price, Brian T. Atkinson writes in his introduction to this collection of reflections by and about pioneer psychedelic rocker Roky Erickson (1947-2019). The singer and songwriter who fronted the 13th Floor Elevators burst onto the Texas music scene in 1966 with the release of You're Gonna Miss Me, the band's only charting single, which featured Erickson's primal vocal stylings. The band attracted considerable regional attention, including interest from a young Janis Joplin, who considered joining the group before opting to go to San Francisco instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough his interviews with those who were there and presentation of Erickson's own words, Atkinson chronicles how Erickson was haunted for most of his life by mental illness, likely compounded by his liberal usage of hallucinogenic and other drugs. Despite that, however, his influence on Texas musicians of various genres is vast. As Billy Gibbons of Z Top attests in his foreword, He stands alone to this day and is revered as an artist because he had the gift of a wonderful voice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs with his previous books on Townes Van Zandt, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and Mickey Newbury, Atkinson has recorded hours of interviews with veteran and upcoming musicians who were impacted by Roky Erickson. Along with the insights of long-time music journalists like Joe Nick Patoski and the bittersweet recollections of friends and family members like Mikel Erickson, brother of the singer, this work includes poetry and lyrics written by Erickson during his confinement at Rusk State Hospital in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The picture that emerges is that of a brilliant, troubled mind and an artist whose influence extended far beyond the period of his greatest notoriety, continuing even beyond his death.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50177268351249,"sku":"CIN1648430430G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52417318224145,"sku":"NIN9781648430435","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":53489477222673,"sku":"NGR9781648430435","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1648430430.jpg?v=1763483870"},{"product_id":"kent-finlay-dreamer-book-brian-t-atkinson-9781623493783","title":"Kent Finlay, Dreamer","description":"Though not a household name for the general public, Kent Finlay (1938 2015) was one of the world s best-known and best-loved promoters, mentors, and gurus of Texas music. In 1974, he founded the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos as a venue for live music and an incubator for young talent. In 1977, he drove to Nashville and took with him a young, unknown singer named George Strait. On that trip, Strait recorded a demo that laid the initial foundation of his sensational career. Finlay s friends and fans also include such Texas music fixtures as Todd Snider, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Jack Ingram, James McMurtry, Joe King Carrasco, Marcia Ball, Radney Foster, Eric Johnson, Hayes Carll, Omar Dykes (Omar and the Howlers), Terri Hendrix, and Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel). These and many others have contributed first-person interviews to this volume, which pays tribute both to Finlay and to his unselfish love for Texas music and musicians.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":50463350980881,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50463351963921,"sku":"CIN1623493781G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1623493781.jpg?v=1763478603"},{"product_id":"love-at-the-five-and-dime-book-brian-t-atkinson-9781648432385","title":"Love at the Five and Dime","description":"Nanci Griffith remains, despite her untimely death, a living, breathing, ever-present entity and inspiration. Gathering the recollections of those who performed with, listened to, and were impacted by her artistry, Atkinson balances these with his own comments and reflections on her legacyincluding the demons that ultimately overcame her.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":50989231341841,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":50989231505681,"sku":"NIN9781648432385","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ LIKE_NEW \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51681543356689,"sku":"GOR014351642","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52250526187793,"sku":"GOR014501154","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":52413002449169,"sku":"CIN1648432387G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1648432387.jpg?v=1752315273"},{"product_id":"east-nashville-skyline-book-brian-t-atkinson-9781648433245","title":"East Nashville Skyline","description":"In his introduction, author Brian T. Atkinson calls singer-songwriter Todd Snider “a marvel and a mystery” who “creates at any cost.” Snider, originally hailing from the Portland, Oregon, area, arrived in Texas as a teen and was captured by the troubadour life while at a Jerry Jeff Walker show at venerable Gruene Hall in 1986. He honed his craft for the next three years at the feet of legendary muse and mentor Kent Finlay at Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos.   After moving to Nashville—or, more properly, East Nashville—around the turn of the twenty-first century, Snider has garnered a loyal following from regular fans to influential industry leaders like MCA Records executive Tony Brown, iconic producer Don Was, respected artists like Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Jason Isbell, and Hollywood heroes such as the late comedian Richard Lewis and notorious scenester Pamela Des Barres (I’m with the Band). His songs have been recorded and performed by artists as diverse as Garth Brooks, Loretta Lynn, Elvis Costello, and Tom Jones.   Atkinson interviewed Snider, members of his family, and other artists and musicians, to construct a narrative that captures the loopy kineticism of Snider’s career trajectory. He carefully peels back Snider’s barefoot hippie public persona to reveal the soulful poet and writer who “believes everything and nothing at the same time, yet has faith in himself, even when no one else does.”   Atkinson’s latest book adds another layer to his already-impressive oeuvre on influential singer-songwriters by shifting focus onto younger musicians who were creatively formed by “first generation” artists like Townes Van Zandt and Mickey Newbury. East Nashville Skyline: The Songwriting Legacy of Todd Snider provides a pivotal chapter in this evolving story.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":52099408462097,"sku":"NGR9781648433245","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52824201986321,"sku":"NIN9781648433245","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781648433245.jpg?v=1763125795"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/en-gb\/collections\/author-books-by-brian-t-atkinson.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}