What do you think?
Rate this book
North Texas Lives of Musicians Series
Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze Foley
Living in the Woods in a Tree is an intimate glimpse into the turbulent life of Texas music legend Blaze Foley (1949–1989), seen through the eyes of Sybil Rosen, the woman for whom he wrote his most widely known song, “If I Could Only Fly.” It captures the exuberance of their fleeting idyll in a tree house in the Georgia woods during the countercultural 1970s. Rosen offers a firsthand witnessing of Foley’s transformation from a reticent hippie musician to the enigmatic singer/songwriter who would live and die outside society's rules. While Foley's own performances are only recently being released, his songs have been covered by Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, and John Prine. When he first encountered “If I Could Only Fly,” Merle Haggard called it “the best country song I've heard in fifteen years.”
In a work that is part-memoir, part-biography, Rosen struggles to finally come to terms with Foley's myth and her role in its creation. Her tracing of his impact on her life navigates a lovers' roadmap along the permeable boundary between life and death. A must-read for all Blaze Foley and Texas music fans, as well as romantics of all ages, Living in the Woods in a Tree is an honest and compassionate portrait of the troubled artist and his reluctant muse.
In a work that is part-memoir, part-biography, Rosen struggles to finally come to terms with Foley's myth and her role in its creation. Her tracing of his impact on her life navigates a lovers' roadmap along the permeable boundary between life and death. A must-read for all Blaze Foley and Texas music fans, as well as romantics of all ages, Living in the Woods in a Tree is an honest and compassionate portrait of the troubled artist and his reluctant muse.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2008
55 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
About the author
Sybil Rosen
11 books40 followersI have always written. From the time I was five and typing poems and stories on my father's old Underwood typewriter, I have been drawn to words. Words took me to the theater first, where I began to learn the art and science of wearing someone else's shoes. In 1979 I began to write plays, an experience I can only describe as "coming home." Since that time I have written short plays, long plays, poetry, essays, theater reviews, narration for documentary films,screenplays, a novel, short stories and a memoir. "Brink of Devotion," a full-length play, was a participant in the Sundance Playwriting Lab in Provo, Utah. A ten-minute play, "Duet for Bear and Dog" was published in the first "Take Ten: A Ten-Minute Play Anthology" by Viking Press and has received over 100 productions world-wide. "Speed of Light," a novel for young adults published by Atheneum (Simon & Schuster), won The Sydney Taylor Award for Older Readers, and was nominated for The Mark Twain Award. It was translated into German and published Verlag Urachhaus. A memoir about life in a tree house with Texas music legend Blaze Foley, "Living in the Woods in a Tree" was published by the University of North Texas Press, #2
in their "Lives of Musicians Series." Searching for memories of Blaze while writing the memoir, I clocked over 30,000 miles on Greyhound buses. "Riding the Dog" is a collection of nine short works of fiction that all take place on the bus. The writing was fed by the people I met, the stories they told me, and events I witnessed that would not let me go.
in their "Lives of Musicians Series." Searching for memories of Blaze while writing the memoir, I clocked over 30,000 miles on Greyhound buses. "Riding the Dog" is a collection of nine short works of fiction that all take place on the bus. The writing was fed by the people I met, the stories they told me, and events I witnessed that would not let me go.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
July 23, 2012
Fantastic biography of a musician who is criminally underrated but with the release of The Duct Tape Messiah video documentary just recently, things may soon change. Word is out and is starting to travel.
I discovered Blaze Foley's music through Townes Van Zandt (another amazing Texan musician) and both musicians definitely went through a lot of sadness in their lives. Townes was put through electric shock therapy, was in love with a girl who was brutally murdered, almost died from a heroin overdose and had a wife (3rd one) who couldn't wait till he died because then he would be worth so much more money to her(see the biography by Hardy for more details).
Blaze, on the other hand, was homeless for most of his life, had a drunk useless father but when you think about it, he was like a street poet. He spoke the truth and of the achingness and pain of life in songs such as "If I could fly".
I've heard many people, including my parents, say, "who would choose to lead a life like that?"
They are, of course, referring to a life of a muso hobo which everyone knows is not easy, lacking in financial rewards. Well, I have the opposite way of thinking: I think it takes great guts to choose that kind of lifestyle (maybe Blaze didn't have much choice anyway) and remain committed to your cause and your dream.
Blaze set out to be a legend, as Sybil points out in this book, and he has pulled it off. People are just starting to discover this great man.
My wife bought me this book for my birthday - what a special gift it was. I wish there were more songwriters like Blaze around today. God bless you Blaze. I hope you are up there riding with Jesus in his big cadillac!
I discovered Blaze Foley's music through Townes Van Zandt (another amazing Texan musician) and both musicians definitely went through a lot of sadness in their lives. Townes was put through electric shock therapy, was in love with a girl who was brutally murdered, almost died from a heroin overdose and had a wife (3rd one) who couldn't wait till he died because then he would be worth so much more money to her(see the biography by Hardy for more details).
Blaze, on the other hand, was homeless for most of his life, had a drunk useless father but when you think about it, he was like a street poet. He spoke the truth and of the achingness and pain of life in songs such as "If I could fly".
I've heard many people, including my parents, say, "who would choose to lead a life like that?"
They are, of course, referring to a life of a muso hobo which everyone knows is not easy, lacking in financial rewards. Well, I have the opposite way of thinking: I think it takes great guts to choose that kind of lifestyle (maybe Blaze didn't have much choice anyway) and remain committed to your cause and your dream.
Blaze set out to be a legend, as Sybil points out in this book, and he has pulled it off. People are just starting to discover this great man.
My wife bought me this book for my birthday - what a special gift it was. I wish there were more songwriters like Blaze around today. God bless you Blaze. I hope you are up there riding with Jesus in his big cadillac!
December 24, 2018
Playwright and author Rosen writes about her life with Mike Fuller, who went by "Depty Dawg" when they first met, and was becoming known as Blaze Foley at the time their relationship ended. The core of the book is their time spent living together in a treehouse in Georgia in the 1970s, where Rosen felt they were both happiest.
Foley, best known for his song "If I Could Only Fly" and as the subject of a Lucinda Williams song (Drunken Angel) died in 1989. There's an unfortunate tendency to equate mental health issues, addiction, bad behaviour and alcoholism with "authenticity" and the less well known a person is, all the better. With a new movie out (Blaze) directed by Ethan Hawke, who wrote the forward to the new edition of this book, the Foley myth making machine will be in high gear. While his music is worth hearing, hopefully many of the less trendy will read this compassionate book for its own charms; the struggle of a woman trying to create her own art, and find her own home.
Foley, best known for his song "If I Could Only Fly" and as the subject of a Lucinda Williams song (Drunken Angel) died in 1989. There's an unfortunate tendency to equate mental health issues, addiction, bad behaviour and alcoholism with "authenticity" and the less well known a person is, all the better. With a new movie out (Blaze) directed by Ethan Hawke, who wrote the forward to the new edition of this book, the Foley myth making machine will be in high gear. While his music is worth hearing, hopefully many of the less trendy will read this compassionate book for its own charms; the struggle of a woman trying to create her own art, and find her own home.
March 15, 2011
Living in the Woods in a Tree is an intimate glimpse into the turbulent life of Texas music legend Blaze Foley (1949-1989), seen through the eyes of Sybil Rosen, the woman for whom he wrote his most widely known song, "If I Could Only Fly." When Merle Haggard first encountered the tune in 1987, he called it "the best country song I've heard in fifteen years."
Capturing the exuberance of their fleeting idyll in a tree house in the Georgia woods during the countercultural 1970s, the author offers a firsthand witnessing of Foley's transformation from reticent hippie musician to the enigmatic singer/songwriter who would live and die by his own rules. While Foley's performances have been released since 1999, his songs have also be covered by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, and John Prine.
In a work that is part-memoir, part-biography, the author struggles to finally come to terms with Foley's myth and her role in its creation. Her tracing of his impact on her navigates a lovers' roadmap along the permeable boundary between life and death. A must-read for all Blaze Foley and Texas music fans, as well as romantics of all ages, Living in the Woods in a Tree is an honest and compassionate portrait of the troubled artist and his reluctant muse."
~~front flap
I couldn't wait to dive into this book! I'm a huge Blaze Foley fan -- he's one of the best singer/songwriters we've ever had, in my opinion. His songs run through my head almost daily, in their simplicity, with his gravelly voice and acerbic wit.
The first part of the book was ... well, not what I expected. "Oh no," I thought, "it's just going to be about this woman and how they loved each other -- sticky sweet and self-aggrandizing." I almost stopped reading it.
I'm so glad I didn't! This is the delineation, from the inside out, of two people who love each other but are unable to hang on through the rough times, are unable finally to make the commitment to each other and to their relationship. They want to, they struggle to, but their flawed characters bar them from being able to take that final leap of faith. And so each turns away into their own lives.
It's a compelling story. I couldn't put it down, even though I could see the train wreck coming (possibly because my own train wreck looked quite a bit like theirs.) Yes, it's sad. Yes, I cried. But it's not maudlin, or self-pitying, or an emotional sink hole. It's just a recollection of what happened, guesses about why it happened, and wisps of dreams about what might have been.
I think you'll enjoy it immensely.
Capturing the exuberance of their fleeting idyll in a tree house in the Georgia woods during the countercultural 1970s, the author offers a firsthand witnessing of Foley's transformation from reticent hippie musician to the enigmatic singer/songwriter who would live and die by his own rules. While Foley's performances have been released since 1999, his songs have also be covered by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, and John Prine.
In a work that is part-memoir, part-biography, the author struggles to finally come to terms with Foley's myth and her role in its creation. Her tracing of his impact on her navigates a lovers' roadmap along the permeable boundary between life and death. A must-read for all Blaze Foley and Texas music fans, as well as romantics of all ages, Living in the Woods in a Tree is an honest and compassionate portrait of the troubled artist and his reluctant muse."
~~front flap
I couldn't wait to dive into this book! I'm a huge Blaze Foley fan -- he's one of the best singer/songwriters we've ever had, in my opinion. His songs run through my head almost daily, in their simplicity, with his gravelly voice and acerbic wit.
The first part of the book was ... well, not what I expected. "Oh no," I thought, "it's just going to be about this woman and how they loved each other -- sticky sweet and self-aggrandizing." I almost stopped reading it.
I'm so glad I didn't! This is the delineation, from the inside out, of two people who love each other but are unable to hang on through the rough times, are unable finally to make the commitment to each other and to their relationship. They want to, they struggle to, but their flawed characters bar them from being able to take that final leap of faith. And so each turns away into their own lives.
It's a compelling story. I couldn't put it down, even though I could see the train wreck coming (possibly because my own train wreck looked quite a bit like theirs.) Yes, it's sad. Yes, I cried. But it's not maudlin, or self-pitying, or an emotional sink hole. It's just a recollection of what happened, guesses about why it happened, and wisps of dreams about what might have been.
I think you'll enjoy it immensely.
February 16, 2021
Blaze Foley is one of my favorite songwriters. I’m usually hesitant to delve into an artist’s personal life, often preferring the myth, the romantic legend of a tortured, drunken soul who despite of it all was able to leave the world with an enduring body of work. I’m afraid to have that illusion washed away. But it turns out, reading this give me a greater appreciation for Mr. Foley than I even had before. It’s the human element that every word he sang/wrote was pulled from that made his art special. And this book offers an irreplaceable glimpse into that humanity. If you have the chance, check out the movie “Blaze” that’s based on this book. It’s worth watching and does the book justice.
April 2, 2015
Was just wanting to find out more about Blaze (via my admiration for Gurf Morlix) and was not expecting to be so bowled over by the author's literary chops! Well written, some truly inspired prose at times. In addition, I have to admit to a predilection for lovable loser types that battle valiantly to the death against the temptation to sell out while remaining true to their own pursuit of artistic integrity. Another reviewer here called Blaze a "muso-hobo"...love that and will use it myself.
December 12, 2013
This is a beautifully written book about a beautiful man by a woman who loved him deeply. We are so lucky that Blaze fell in love with a fantastic writer who put every emotion she has out there and still is able to tell the story with a biographical slant. I loved it! I am sorry I didn’t discover him until after he passed. Thank goodness we have his music to hold on to.
December 31, 2015
When I purchased this book I was looking for a biography of Blaze Foley (Mike Fuller). What I received was so much more. Rather than just a biography filled with dates and places I received true insight into the person. This is part biography and part love story. Very moving book and insight into the man as only a close lover can provide.
March 5, 2020
I’m not sure I have ever loved reading a book as much as I loved reading this one. It is both a tremendously effective and insightful biography of enigmatic outlaw country legend Blaze Foley, and the memoir of a woman, Sybil Rosen, who emerges from that legend as equally remarkable in her own right. It is a universal story of formative relationships and love enjoyed and lost, and it is the unique story of one such relationship and its impact on an iconic artist. Well worth a read as a companion to the recent movie based on it, “Blaze,” or for anyone who has heard the man’s haunting music and wanted to know more.
June 9, 2009
Now I know alot more about Blaze Foley and some Austin Music History...
Read
August 21, 2009Sybil captured the essence of Blaze Foley in a way that opened up the heart of her journey to the world. I recommend this to anyone who is a musician or loved a musician.
January 26, 2021
Frábær og einlæg ævisaga. Sybil Rosen rifjar upp samband sitt við Blaze Foley en kemst að því, í samræðum við vini og vandamenn Foleys, að minninu er ekki endilega treystandi. Þverstæður myndast í frásögninni og goðsögnin um Blaze magnast.
June 18, 2020
Truly the most beautiful thing I have ever read. I am absolutely enchanted by the magic between these two.
August 4, 2017
I loved everything about this book and could have so easily devoured it in one sitting. However, I was equally as happy to meander along with the author's memories and telling of both her and Blaze Foley's story. Enthralling, poetic, somewhat intriguing and peppered with a sad longing, this is a beautifully written book that draws you in and sees you through.
I only just recently discovered the music of Blaze Foley, (thanks to my brother) and instantly fell in love with an incredible songwriter and his voice - raw, and very real. Although I was also quite familiar with Merle Haggard's version of "If I Could Only Fly", and always loved it, I was not aware of it's origin or the legend itself that surrounds it.
How very much I appreciate Sybil Rosen for the sharing of her and Blaze's story and their time of 'becoming' together.
A beautiful poignant story, and an equally great read.
I only just recently discovered the music of Blaze Foley, (thanks to my brother) and instantly fell in love with an incredible songwriter and his voice - raw, and very real. Although I was also quite familiar with Merle Haggard's version of "If I Could Only Fly", and always loved it, I was not aware of it's origin or the legend itself that surrounds it.
How very much I appreciate Sybil Rosen for the sharing of her and Blaze's story and their time of 'becoming' together.
A beautiful poignant story, and an equally great read.
November 20, 2018
Our small town has an independent film series that had a screening of RememberingBlaze Foley.
I had never heard of the man, but I do enjoy country music....and I didn't have anything better to do that evening. I must say that the film was very hard to follow. (actually awful) My favorite scene was when Sybil took Blaze home to meet her Jewish parents. When reading the list of performers, I noticed that Sybil Rosen played her older self in the movie...and that she had written a book about her life with Foley. Of course, as a memoir fan and writer, I had to read it.She is a great story teller and beautiful writer. From this book, I learned about the hippy life style and the friendships that remained after they grew up to be responsible adults(well some of them). Also, the genetics of depression, and much about the faith of many texans
I had never heard of the man, but I do enjoy country music....and I didn't have anything better to do that evening. I must say that the film was very hard to follow. (actually awful) My favorite scene was when Sybil took Blaze home to meet her Jewish parents. When reading the list of performers, I noticed that Sybil Rosen played her older self in the movie...and that she had written a book about her life with Foley. Of course, as a memoir fan and writer, I had to read it.She is a great story teller and beautiful writer. From this book, I learned about the hippy life style and the friendships that remained after they grew up to be responsible adults(well some of them). Also, the genetics of depression, and much about the faith of many texans
July 27, 2019
Country music legend Blaze Foley, writer of songs sung by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard and John Prine, once lived in my own Carroll County in a treehouse in the woods in the 1970s with writer Sybil Rosen. This memoir of those years together, their West Georgia romance, and Blaze’s tragic and untimely death is the basis for the 2018 independent film Blaze, which Sybil Rosen co-wrote with director Ethan Hawke. Country music fans, local history fans, and literary memoir fans will all find something to move them to tears in this gorgeous book. Read the book, watch the movie, listen to Blaze’s hauntingly beautiful songs, and feel your heart beating away in your chest, eager to “go where the people say y’all,” as Blaze sings in his classic “Clay Pigeons.”
December 10, 2018
Memories given life again
Lovely memoir. I’m from Austin and was in college during those years. She captured the spirit of ‘old’ Austin. She brought someone to life for me. I bought the music. I want to see the movie, but stories do so much more for me. I think he did it: became a legend. Thanks
Lovely memoir. I’m from Austin and was in college during those years. She captured the spirit of ‘old’ Austin. She brought someone to life for me. I bought the music. I want to see the movie, but stories do so much more for me. I think he did it: became a legend. Thanks
September 14, 2018
Honest, from the heart and beautiful!
I recently saw the movie" Blaze " in Austin, Texas. The movie spurred me to read and learn more. I have been a fan of Blazes' music for a long time and cant help but want to know more about this complex, troubled soul. Cant help but wish the story had a happier ending...the man was a talented, gifted song writer who deserves to be remembered for more than his addiction and illness. Sybil Rosen accomplishes that nicely.
I recently saw the movie" Blaze " in Austin, Texas. The movie spurred me to read and learn more. I have been a fan of Blazes' music for a long time and cant help but want to know more about this complex, troubled soul. Cant help but wish the story had a happier ending...the man was a talented, gifted song writer who deserves to be remembered for more than his addiction and illness. Sybil Rosen accomplishes that nicely.
September 26, 2018
There are few great, honest love stories in print, and this is one of them. It's so beautiful and affecting.
The author Sybil served as the subject Blaze Foley's muse for his music; now after his death, he serves as her muse for this book. In two different creative forms, Sybil and Blaze are perfect complements. They still fit each other.
This was way better than I expected. I may read it again sometime.
The author Sybil served as the subject Blaze Foley's muse for his music; now after his death, he serves as her muse for this book. In two different creative forms, Sybil and Blaze are perfect complements. They still fit each other.
This was way better than I expected. I may read it again sometime.
November 6, 2018
A great perspective
When first getting into the book I was expecting mostly Blaze. But I soon realized that the story would not center around him and instead Sybil. With her perspective it creates a great story that can be read by anyone with or without knowledge of the country legend she fell in love with. Sybil Rosen writes a great story with insight and introspection with an accessible amount of southern writing style.
When first getting into the book I was expecting mostly Blaze. But I soon realized that the story would not center around him and instead Sybil. With her perspective it creates a great story that can be read by anyone with or without knowledge of the country legend she fell in love with. Sybil Rosen writes a great story with insight and introspection with an accessible amount of southern writing style.
October 17, 2018
Heartfelt and beautiful
I started reading this because I always enjoy a good biography of a musician, and Blaze is one of the most enigmatic around. However, it is unfair to call this a biography of Blaze or anyone else. This is one of the most soul-searching and loving books I’ve ever read and every word of it was beautifully crafted.
I started reading this because I always enjoy a good biography of a musician, and Blaze is one of the most enigmatic around. However, it is unfair to call this a biography of Blaze or anyone else. This is one of the most soul-searching and loving books I’ve ever read and every word of it was beautifully crafted.
November 21, 2018
Ms. Rosen is skillful in her craft. I really enjoyed her writing "style" I suppose you would call it. Her writing created picture in my mind as I read. I could "see" everything I was reading. It seemed magical. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
November 6, 2018
He didn’t want to be a star- he wanted to be a legend.
His legend is just now forming. Read this wonderful book and help shape the Legend of Blaze Foley.
His legend is just now forming. Read this wonderful book and help shape the Legend of Blaze Foley.
May 25, 2019
On a whim I saw the 2018 movie "Blaze" and I loved it so much that I immediately bought this book (which the movie is based on) and started listening to it the same day.
It's the true story of a romance between an actress/writer and a country singer/songwriter who met at an art colony in Georgia in their early 20s. The story is written by the female half many years later (the male half died tragically in 1989). She was Jewish and a bit shy, worried about taking after her neurotic mother. He came from a Pentecostal family that sang in revival tents and was a life of the party type, a big bear of a man prone to drinking and infidelity. They broke up years before his death.
I loved the movie so much because it was just so genuinely romantic and poetic, when so much that's supposed to be "romantic" is just inauthentic, manipulative garbage. It captured the spirit of why they'd fall in love and why they'd love their hippie "alternative lifestyle" home in a treehouse. I could feel the love between them and it reminded me of being an artsy 20-something, how you could go from being a nobody to...well, at least feeling like a star at an open mic. He never quite got to be a household name, but he toured a lot, had some of his songs covered by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, and was a bit of a scene star in Austin. He's well known enough that Ethan Hawke made a movie about him/this book and you could watch it on a streaming feed in Iowa, anyway.
I didn't like the book quite as much as the movie. Maybe already knowing the story made it anticlimactic, and I felt like there was some fluff that could've been edited out and the pacing tightened a bit (I feel like I say that about most books any more). Don't get me wrong, it was an enjoyable read, and it was nice to see the story fleshed out, I just wasn't blown away. It was nice to meet the other characters in the art colony and hear a bit more detail about the circumstances of his tragic death.
I guess I wished there was a little more insight from present-day Sybil's perspective to balance out the lovey-dovey gushing of back-then Sybil. I'm glad she didn't grow bitter and remembers him fondly, but I was expecting more, "If I knew then what I know now" type insights, I suppose. Maybe she got out of the relationship before she got too bitter and disappointed with his drinking and erratic behavior.
It's the true story of a romance between an actress/writer and a country singer/songwriter who met at an art colony in Georgia in their early 20s. The story is written by the female half many years later (the male half died tragically in 1989). She was Jewish and a bit shy, worried about taking after her neurotic mother. He came from a Pentecostal family that sang in revival tents and was a life of the party type, a big bear of a man prone to drinking and infidelity. They broke up years before his death.
I loved the movie so much because it was just so genuinely romantic and poetic, when so much that's supposed to be "romantic" is just inauthentic, manipulative garbage. It captured the spirit of why they'd fall in love and why they'd love their hippie "alternative lifestyle" home in a treehouse. I could feel the love between them and it reminded me of being an artsy 20-something, how you could go from being a nobody to...well, at least feeling like a star at an open mic. He never quite got to be a household name, but he toured a lot, had some of his songs covered by Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, and was a bit of a scene star in Austin. He's well known enough that Ethan Hawke made a movie about him/this book and you could watch it on a streaming feed in Iowa, anyway.
I didn't like the book quite as much as the movie. Maybe already knowing the story made it anticlimactic, and I felt like there was some fluff that could've been edited out and the pacing tightened a bit (I feel like I say that about most books any more). Don't get me wrong, it was an enjoyable read, and it was nice to see the story fleshed out, I just wasn't blown away. It was nice to meet the other characters in the art colony and hear a bit more detail about the circumstances of his tragic death.
I guess I wished there was a little more insight from present-day Sybil's perspective to balance out the lovey-dovey gushing of back-then Sybil. I'm glad she didn't grow bitter and remembers him fondly, but I was expecting more, "If I knew then what I know now" type insights, I suppose. Maybe she got out of the relationship before she got too bitter and disappointed with his drinking and erratic behavior.
January 2, 2021
I hesitate to write a review of this book. Who am I to judge such a skilfully written and highly personal account of the relationship between two such brave, sensitive, artistic souls?
I first heard Blaze Foley's beautiful song 'Clay Pigeons' sung by John Prine, and fell in love with it quickly. I have since learnt to love Blaze's original version of the song even more.
Foley's other well known song, 'If I Could Only Fly', does not touch me quite as deeply, though also like it very much. The first two lines in particular are a puzzle to me.
"I almost felt you touching me just now.
I wish I knew which way to turn and go."
These sentiments are so subtle and light, they barely exist. I can't imagine how one would consciously write them unless, perhaps, in some dream state.
Given Foley's enormous propensity to self-destruct, it might be argued that he was fortunate to fall in love with a writer as talented as Rosen. Then again it is, no doubt, no coincidence that two such talented people fell in love with each other.
Speaking as a medical practitioner I cannot help but see Foley's life as a tragedy. How sad that he did not receive proper mental health care. How sad that he bought into the 'artist as legend' myth so completely. Then again, of course, I know as a general practitioner writing from an Australian city that this is a service only ever provided to a lucky few.
Thank you, Blaze Foley, for writing these beautiful songs and thank you, too, Sybil Rosen, for keeping Blaze's legacy alive in such a poignant, insightful way.
I first heard Blaze Foley's beautiful song 'Clay Pigeons' sung by John Prine, and fell in love with it quickly. I have since learnt to love Blaze's original version of the song even more.
Foley's other well known song, 'If I Could Only Fly', does not touch me quite as deeply, though also like it very much. The first two lines in particular are a puzzle to me.
"I almost felt you touching me just now.
I wish I knew which way to turn and go."
These sentiments are so subtle and light, they barely exist. I can't imagine how one would consciously write them unless, perhaps, in some dream state.
Given Foley's enormous propensity to self-destruct, it might be argued that he was fortunate to fall in love with a writer as talented as Rosen. Then again it is, no doubt, no coincidence that two such talented people fell in love with each other.
Speaking as a medical practitioner I cannot help but see Foley's life as a tragedy. How sad that he did not receive proper mental health care. How sad that he bought into the 'artist as legend' myth so completely. Then again, of course, I know as a general practitioner writing from an Australian city that this is a service only ever provided to a lucky few.
Thank you, Blaze Foley, for writing these beautiful songs and thank you, too, Sybil Rosen, for keeping Blaze's legacy alive in such a poignant, insightful way.
May 17, 2021
This is, for my time and money, a magnificent memoir and biography. First, tremendous praise to Rosen for openly acknowledging what we all try to ignore in these books - our memories fade. Her stories of Blaze are, by her own free admission, partly documented in letters and other written accounts (court papers, newspaper accounts, police reports), partly shared stories with old friends, partly legend, and partly culled from the shadowed mists of her own imperfect memory. More than a biography of Blaze Foley, it's a memoir of her own (and our own) imperfect remembrances and how those tales metamorphize into something bigger than those events actually portended in that moment. It's also fascinating to see how she slides back into the emotional state - confused, needing, searching - of her younger self so completely. There's a vibrancy to our emotionally unsure and insecure young adult selves that's hard to recapture and revisit (if you'd even want to!), but Rosen reflects that self perfectly, and in doing so, really helps the reader understand the turmoil and confusion that fueled her and Dep's romance and how that romance petered out. All in all, a very evocative book that adds humanity to the legend of Blaze Foley while still enhancing the enduring qualities of his mystique. And a very effective coming-of-emotional-age saga of a young woman, finding herself while trying to support a very magnetic, self-destructive romantic partner.
January 11, 2023
This is a heartfelt memoir of the musician known as Blaze Foley, but who prior to that incarnation when by the name of Depty Dawg - real name Michael Fuller - written by the woman who lived with and loved the man for about 2 years in the mid 1970's. While you may not know the name of Blaze Foley, you may well have heard his songs, as they have been sung by Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, John Prine, Gurf Murlix, Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and many more. Ms Rosen's writing is beautiful and the style is meandering as memory can be. She goes from memories, diaries and letters, jumping from the 70's to the present, when she went back to their old haunts to reconnect with old friends in GA, NC, TX and IL. Their time together was tender, idealistic, especially the time living in the forests in west Georgia in a tree house that had, at first, no walls, and troublesome. Yet, it is clear that Depty as Ms Rosen always knew him, had a strong hold on her heart, even after their definitive break up. I could relate strongly to this book having had similar deep affection for creative types in the past. I thank my friend Laurencia for the gift of this book
May 9, 2023
The best book I’ve read in awhile—and certainly the best memoir/biography. Wow. This was an incredibly intimate reading experience. I wish I could share all the passages I annotated, but I’d be sharing half the book. : ) I feel like sharing this book is sharing a part of myself too.
“I wanted to be with him, it was that simple, and his tenderness and loyalty overrode my fears.”
“Memory encompasses pain and regret; forgetfulness relinquishes sorrow, as well as beauty, mystery, joy.”
“I needed to believe that freedom and responsibility were not necessarily opposed, that there could be freedom in taking responsibility, especially if it allowed love and creativity to flourish.”
“Nothing and everything had changed.”
“In love stories, the characters write letters to each other whenever life conspires to keep them apart. Mail is the consolation prize for absence.”
“The life we had chosen was cracking us wide open.”
“There’s a gravity about her now, as if weighted by a sorrow she has long accepted.”
“If we could only embrace an alternative lifestyle where the craving for identity does not obstruct the love we’re capable of giving.”
“I wanted to be with him, it was that simple, and his tenderness and loyalty overrode my fears.”
“Memory encompasses pain and regret; forgetfulness relinquishes sorrow, as well as beauty, mystery, joy.”
“I needed to believe that freedom and responsibility were not necessarily opposed, that there could be freedom in taking responsibility, especially if it allowed love and creativity to flourish.”
“Nothing and everything had changed.”
“In love stories, the characters write letters to each other whenever life conspires to keep them apart. Mail is the consolation prize for absence.”
“The life we had chosen was cracking us wide open.”
“There’s a gravity about her now, as if weighted by a sorrow she has long accepted.”
“If we could only embrace an alternative lifestyle where the craving for identity does not obstruct the love we’re capable of giving.”
December 11, 2024
I have recently felt a special closeness to Blaze Foley’s music. I adore his songs that are quirky or wild, and I feel even closer to his songs that are raw, tender, and honest. Before I knew anything about Blaze Foley, he was a close companion of mine.
Then I googled him, read a bit about his life, and thankfully, I stumbled across this book. This book was written by Sybil Rosen, who shared an ephemeral romance with Blaze in the 1970s. They met at an artists’ residency, quickly fell in love, traveled to a commune in Georgia, and lived in a treehouse in the woods. Underneath the trees, they shared a little mystical world together. Blaze had an artistic genesis and began to write songs, with Sybil as his muse. I already loved these songs, so receiving the backstory made them all the more precious to me.
I did not expect the prose to be so beautiful and moving, I did not expect to spend a weekend deeply engrossed in the story of a 1970s hippie couple, I did not expect to weep so furiously, and finally, I did not expect to develop such a deep admiration for the incredible author Sybil Rosen. I love when a book takes you by surprise!
Then I googled him, read a bit about his life, and thankfully, I stumbled across this book. This book was written by Sybil Rosen, who shared an ephemeral romance with Blaze in the 1970s. They met at an artists’ residency, quickly fell in love, traveled to a commune in Georgia, and lived in a treehouse in the woods. Underneath the trees, they shared a little mystical world together. Blaze had an artistic genesis and began to write songs, with Sybil as his muse. I already loved these songs, so receiving the backstory made them all the more precious to me.
I did not expect the prose to be so beautiful and moving, I did not expect to spend a weekend deeply engrossed in the story of a 1970s hippie couple, I did not expect to weep so furiously, and finally, I did not expect to develop such a deep admiration for the incredible author Sybil Rosen. I love when a book takes you by surprise!
September 13, 2022
A close and personal look at the self-destructive genius Blaze Foley as told by his wife/muse/soulmate Sybil Rosen. Blaze wanted to be a legend and live forever, something that seems to happen to shooting stars who burn a little too fast. This story starts in Georgia when Blaze was going by "Depty Dawg" and working as a carpenter at an artist commune. He met Sybil and they moved into a treehouse in the forest, choosing to live in poverty with only nature and each other. They travelled to New Orleans and on to Texas so Blaze could make it as a singer/songwriter. Eventually they travelled to Chicago where Blaze did all he could to sabotage what career he made, and his relationship with Sybil along the way. Sybil went on to write plays and books while Blaze did indeed become a legend only after his murder. It's a shame that such talent often resides in the mentally unstable who often die way before thier time. A great piece of history about a true pioneer in the burgeoning Texas outlaw music movement.
June 7, 2022
This was a good book. However, it is a bit overlong. I get it though, this dude is on the verge of being completely forgotten to history and writing down as much fable into fact before it vanishes is the only way to establish legacy. But man, for this person who was only around for the formative years to have so much after the split was just a bit daunting. I kept thinking "this is about to end, right?"
But, that aside, look this is great. I had never heard of this dude. Then I saw a hollywood movie called Blaze and was amazed to learn that it was about a real guy. Listened to the music, some was real good most was just alright. It took a long time to get this book on audio - I watched the movie 3 years ago!
But, that aside, look this is great. I had never heard of this dude. Then I saw a hollywood movie called Blaze and was amazed to learn that it was about a real guy. Listened to the music, some was real good most was just alright. It took a long time to get this book on audio - I watched the movie 3 years ago!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews