Billy Joe Shaver tribute album due this fall; hear Willie Nelson's cover song

Billy Joe Shaver didn't live forever, but his music will carry on. The legendary Texas songwriter, who died in October 2020 at age 81, is getting first-class tribute treatment from New West Records, which is set to release the compilation "Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver" on Nov. 11.

Produced by Arlyn Studios co-owner Freddy Fletcher — Willie Nelson's nephew — and guitarist Charlie Sexton, the set features contributions from Nelson, George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Rodney Crowell, Margo Price, Ryan Bingham, Amanda Shires, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell, Edie Brickell, Steve Earle and Nikki Lane.

More:Billy Joe Shaver, Texas songwriting legend, dies at 81

Nelson's version of Shaver's classic song "Live Forever" surfaced Tuesday on streaming services, including an animated YouTube video.

Shaver was born on Aug. 16, 1939, in Corsicana. He lived primarily in Waco, but he had strong ties to Austin. Nelson, one of Shaver's closest friends, recorded many of Shaver’s songs over the years. Shaver performed here often, in settings ranging from the Austin City Limits Music Festival to honky-tonk haven the White Horse. He appeared four times on the TV show “Austin City Limits.”

In addition to releasing his debut album “Old Five and Dimers Like Me” in 1973, Shaver wrote almost all the songs on Waylon Jennings’ landmark album “Honky Tonk Heroes,” released that same year.

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A song Jennings and Shaver co-wrote, “You Asked Me To,” was recorded by Elvis Presley in 1975. That was just one of many Shaver songs eventually recorded by hundreds of artists. Among them: “Ride Me Down Easy” (Jerry Lee Lewis), “Georgia on a Fast Train” (Johnny Cash), “Black Rose” (Willie Nelson) and “Live Forever” (actor Robert Duvall, on the soundtrack to the film “Crazy Heart”).

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Billy Joe Shaver tribute album to feature Willie Nelson, George Strait