Regular listeners here will recognize the homeless alcoholic songwriter, Blaze Foley. The first YouTube is played on Blaze's guitar, which had to be retrieved after his death from a pawn shop where it had been exchanged for drinking money. The second one is self-explanatory.
I had two CDs, all the Blaze Foley music in print at the time, unfortunately both issued posthumously. Recently a home reel-to-reel tape showed up and the CD has been released as "Sittin' By the Road" by Lost Art Records for $15.99. It is incredible music. He was living in a treehouse at the time, but it still doesn't have the beat up roughness of his later records. You can sample it on their site. Listen to track 12. Or track 2, which Merle Haggard called the best country song he'd heard in 20 years. It's a younger Blaze, still in full voice, backing his own songs with his guitar. If you like pure roots music, this thing is golden. Best $15.99 you'll ever spend.
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