“Viva Terlingua” - Jerry Jeff Walker

Our introduction to “Outlaw” Country came in ‘75 when Terri and I got to the Grand Canyon to work at the National Park Lodges. Our new friends from all over the country were listening to a variety of music that we had never been exposed to. Earlier I mentioned John Prine and the impact his first album had on my musical tastes. It was the same with Jerry Jeff Walker and Viva Terlingua, his ‘73 album recorded in the dancehall in Luckenbach Texas.

This was another record that was regularly on the turntable at the employee pub. At .35/beer it wasn’t long before we were all signing along with the chorus of several of the tracks. One minute it was “up against the wall redneck mother…” and the next it was “I want to go home with the Armadillo…”. This album was universally loved by all employees and became somewhat of a Grand Canyon party record. It fit right in with my hippie country groups like the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco.

Today Outlaw Country is the #1 genre on my listening list. Five of the tracks on this album have worked their way into my acoustic repertoire, and SXM’s Outlaw Country has added a JJW’s “Charlie Dunn” about Austin’s storied bootmaker. Viva Terlingua has stood the test of time and lead me to the music of Guy Clark, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, James McMurtry, Robert Earl Keen and other Outlaws. Twelve songs in my “50 for 50” came from these musicians. I think Viva Terlingua might have been the spark that kindled that flame… “Like Desperados waiting for a train”.