Heartworn Highways

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Heartworn Highways
Heartworn Highways FilmPoster.jpeg
Directed by James Szalapski
Produced by Graham Leader
Written by James Szalapski
Starring Guy Clark
Townes Van Zandt
Steve Earle
David Allan Coe
Rodney Crowell
Gamble Rogers
Steve Young
The Charlie Daniels Band
Larry Jon Wilson
Cinematography James Szalapski
Edited by Phillip Schopper
Distributed by First Run Features (theatrical)
Navarre Corporation (DVD)
Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution
Release dates
 May 13, 1981
Running time
 92 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Heartworn Highways is a documentary film by James Szalapski whose vision captured some of the founders of the Outlaw Country movement in Texas and Tennessee in the last weeks of 1975 and the first weeks of 1976.[1] The film was not released theatrically until 1981.[1]

Plot

The documentary covers singer-songwriters whose songs are more traditional to early folk and country music instead of following in the tradition of the previous generation. Some of film's featured performers are Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, David Allan Coe, Rodney Crowell, Gamble Rogers, Steve Young, and The Charlie Daniels Band. The movie features the first known recordings of Grammy award winners Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell who were quite young at the time and appear to be students of mentor Guy Clark. Steve Earle was also a big fan of Van Zandt at the time.

The beginning of the movie shows Larry Jon Wilson in a recording studio shortly after he had been woken up for the movie after having been partying all night after a gig into the morning. The film maker goes to Austin and visits Townes Van Zandt at his trailer (At what is now 14th and Charlotte in the Clarksville neighborhood of downtown Austin) and his girlfriend Cindy, his dog Geraldine, Rex "Wrecks" Bell, and Uncle Seymour Washington (born 1896; died 1977) at his place, who is also called "The Walking Blacksmith", and who gives his great worldly advice to the viewers and represents a very important aspect of the atmosphere that these songwriters living in the South are surrounded by and involved in.

The movie shows Charlie Daniels completely fill a big high school gymnasium. Then the camera man, sound recorder and director join David Allan Coe and film him playing a gig at the Tennessee State Prison where he admits to being a former inmate and tells a story of being there and seems to bring out friends of his onto the stage who still are inmates there and they perform a gospel number "Thank You Jesus" that they used to sing in the yard. The end of the movie shows a drinking party that starts Christmas Eve and ends sometime Christmas Day at Guy Clark's house in Nashville with Guy, Susanna Clark, Steve Young, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Jim McGuire (playing the dobro), along with several other guests. Steve Young leads the group in a rendition of Hank Williams' song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and Rodney Crowell leads everyone in "Silent Night".

Music

A Complete List of Songs Performed in Movie:

"Extras" Bonus Songs on DVD

  • Guy Clark - "Desperadoes Waiting For a Train"
  • Townes Van Zandt - "Pancho & Lefty"
  • Richard Dobson - "Hard by the Highway"
  • The Charlie Daniels Band - "Long Haired Country Boy"
  • Guy Clark w/ Rodney Crowell - "Ballad of Laverne and Captain Flint"
  • John Hiatt - "One For The One For Me"
  • Steve Earle - "Darlin' Commit Me"
  • David Allan Coe - "Thank You, Jesus"

Party at Guy Clark's House

  • Steve Earle - "Mercenary Song"
  • Rodney Crowell - "Young Girls Hungry Smile"
  • Richard Dobson - "Forever, For Always, For Certain"
  • Billy Callery - "Question"
  • Steve Young - "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
  • Steve Earle & Rodney Crowell - "Stay a Little Longer"
  • Guy Clark - "Country Morning Music"

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 AllMovie entry for Heartworn Highways.

External links

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