Blazing Through Austin

I've had the privileged of knowing a lot of music lovers over the past 10 years of my life. Between the Record Exchange in Salem Mass where I basically lived while living in Salem. They really helped me expand my musical knowledge and I am extremely grateful to those people. Today however there is no Record Exchange where I live in Newfoundland, but I have at least have another music aficionado in Walkhams Gate Pub owner Harv. Harv is really into the whole Austin Texas music scene. From The Flatlanders to Steve Earle. But probably the most prolific and interesting character to fall into the Austin scene has to be Blaze Foley. Blaze is really what makes Austin. He plays for the joy of playing music, with no interest of being famous or making a ton of money. He is an underground legend having played alongside such greats as Townes Van Zandt. Blaze has had songs written about him by Townes, who was a great close friend, and Lucinda Williams. Williams has called him a genius and a beautiful loser. His songs have been covered by the likes of Merle Haggard, John Prine and Lyle Lovett. Blaze is nothing but a musical phenomenon, a straight shooter. His lyrics were honest and true to his life. He wrote and sang more because it was therapeutic than becoming famous. The world needs more people like Blaze Foley, unfortunately Foley died on February 1, 1989. Foley, after helping a friend confront a violent son, the son would shoot Foley in cold blood. The son was acquitted from the murder charge saying it was in self defense. Friends of Foley was outraged with the verdict and rightfully so. We have lost a true artist but never will we lose the art.