Snowin' on Raton

Emmylou Harris' cover of the Townes Van Zandt song "Snowin' on Raton".

Snowin' On Raton

Another Townes Van Zandt song, "Snowin' on Raton" performed by Gilian Welch and David Rawlings.

Pancho and Lefty

Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett performing Townes Van Zandt's song "Pancho and Lefty".

Tecumseh Valley

Nanci Griffith and Arlo Guthrie's cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Tecumseh Valley ".

Loretta

Some more good harmony. Norah Jones, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings perform the Townes Van Zandt song "Loretta".



Here is a second version of the same song that does not really have much harmony, but it does have some great singers—John Prine, Lyle Lovett, Ray LaMontagne and Elvis Costello.

The Broken Circle Breakdown

The Belgian film The Broken Circle Breakdown is one of the five films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Oscar this year. I have to say this is one of the bleakest films I have seen in some time. It is about a little girl with cancer, but it does have some of the best music performed in the film. The music is very similar to the music included in O Brother Where Art Thou, though the movies are totally different. Here are two clips from the film.

"The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn"



"if I Needed You", a Townes Van Zandt song

Elizabeth Cook Returns

I posted Elizabeth Cook's last appearance on Letterman in my 10/28/2011 post. Last night she returned, this time to sing. Here is her performance of a song off her just released gospel album, and two Townes Van Zandt covers with Jason Isbell.

"Hear Jerusalem Calling"

"Tecumsah Valley" and "Pancho and Lefty"

Songs About Drinking

No Depression posted the first video below on Facebook, and it inspired me to do a post of songs about drinking. I have previously posted three of the best songs about drinking, or not drinking as the case may be—Great Big Sea's "The Old Black Rum", Corb Lund's "Time to Switch to Whiskey" and Elizabeth Cook's "Yes to Booty". So here are a couple more.

Townes Van Zandt - "Talking Thunderbird"



George Jones - "White Lightning"



I previously posted all of the known film of Bessie Smith. To include her again we have to go with just audio. So here it is, Bessie Smith with "Gimme a Pigfoot and a Bottle of Beer".




The Steeldrivers - Drinkin Dark Whiskey

Emmylou Harris

The best part about writing a blog is that you get to make up all the rules. So, in that vein, I am declaring this Emmylou Harris week on this blog. Last week was her birthday, but I am not going to say how old she is, because I consider to be ageless.

Of the songs that Emmylou has written herself "Red Dirt Girl" is my favorite.



Here, with some help from Buddy Miller, is a great cover of the Townes Van Zandt song "Pancho & Lefty".



From the same concert, one of Lucinda William's best songs, "Sweet Old World".