Billy Joe Shaver Wiki – Billy Joe Shaver Biography
Billy Joe Shaver was an American Texas country music singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence with his 1973 debut album, “Old Five and Dimers Like Me,” and was often referred to as part of the “outlaw country” movement of the 1970s along with figures like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, both of whom recorded his songs. He rose to further prominence after Kris Kristofferson recorded his song “Good Christian Soldier.”
Jennings recorded 10 songs of Shaver’s on one album alone, “Honky Tonk Heroes,” released the same year as Shaver’s debut. Shaver had previously had his break as a songwriter when Kris Kristofferson discovered him and recorded his song “Good Christian Soldier” on another landmark album, 1971’s “The Silver Tongued Devil and I.”
His songs were recorded by Elvis Presley, David Allan Coe, Patty Loveless, Tom T. Hall, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Paycheck, and Doug Kershaw, among others. One of his biggest songwriting successes was “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal,” a No. 4 country hit for John Anderson in 1981. His own recording career encompassed 17 studio albums, the last of which was 2014’s “Long in the Tooth.” Shaver made an appearance in Robert Duvall’s 1996 film “The Apostle.” Duvall sang one of his songs, “Live Forever,” in another film, “Crazy Heart.” In 2004, a documentary about Shaver, “A Portrait of Billy Joe,” was released.
Shaver was inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. The following year he received his lone Grammy nomination, in the best Southern, country or bluegrass gospel album category for “Everybody’s Brother.” He was also a member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The Americana Music Association gave Shaver its inaugural lifetime achievement award for songwriting in 2004. Shaver appeared at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for the 2018 opening of an exhibit that featured his prominently, “Outlaws & Armadillos: Country’s Roaring ’70s.” In 2019, the Academy of Country music gave him its Poets Award.
Billy Joe Shaver Age
Billy Joe Shaver was born on August 16, 1939, in Corsicana, Texas, United States. He died on October 28, 2020, in Waco, Texas, United States. He was 81.
Spouse – Wife
Billy married and divorced the same woman, Brenda Tindell, three times. He then married another woman, Wanda Lynn Canady, twice.
Son
Billy’s son, Eddy Shaver, died of a heroin overdose on December 31, 2000.
Billy Joe Shaver Death
Billy died on October 28, 2020, at Waco, Texas’ Ascension Providence Hospital, at the age of 81.
Cause of Death
Billy’s cause of death was a massive stroke.
Net Worth
Billy’s net worth was estimated to be $3 million.