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My Years with Townes Van Zandt: Music, Genius and Rage
“Other people locked themselves away and hid from their demons. Townes flung open his door and said, 'Come on in.'” So writes Harold Eggers, Townes Van Zandt's longtime road manager and producer, in My Years with Townes Van Music, Genius, and Rage – a gripping memoir revealing the inner core of an enigmatic troubadour, whose deeply poetic music was a source of inspiration and healing for millions but was for himself a torment struggling for dominance among myriad personal demons.
Townes Van Zandt often stated that his main musical mission was to “write the perfect song that would save someone's life.” However, his life was a work in progress he was constantly struggling to shape and comprehend. Eggers says of his close friend and business partner that “like the master song craftsman he was, he was never truly satisfied with the final product but always kept giving it one more shot, one extra tweak, one last effort.”
A vivid, firsthand account exploring the source of the singer's prodigious talent, widespread influence, and relentless path toward self-destruction, My Years with Townes Van Zandt presents the truth of that all-consuming artistic journey told by a close friend watching it unfold.
Townes Van Zandt often stated that his main musical mission was to “write the perfect song that would save someone's life.” However, his life was a work in progress he was constantly struggling to shape and comprehend. Eggers says of his close friend and business partner that “like the master song craftsman he was, he was never truly satisfied with the final product but always kept giving it one more shot, one extra tweak, one last effort.”
A vivid, firsthand account exploring the source of the singer's prodigious talent, widespread influence, and relentless path toward self-destruction, My Years with Townes Van Zandt presents the truth of that all-consuming artistic journey told by a close friend watching it unfold.
264 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 9, 2018
I recently stumbled head-first into the world of Townes, and this book couldn’t have captured his spirit better. Harold is an incredible writer and no one could have done a better job telling Townes’s story. Their relationship was one for the ages and anyone who enjoys Townes on any level needs to read this book.
December 5, 2018
You think you’re an expert on Townes Van Zandt? Think again. Great read by someone who knew him best.
August 20, 2021
I borrowed this book from my roommate. After the honeymoon phase of furnishing our house was over, I started to read it. I couldn't put it down once I started.
I love biographies because you get the full story of why someone is who they are. I especially loved the idea of a biography written by Harold Eggers, Townes Van Zandt's manager. It makes me wonder how I would be written about by the people who know me best. Hopefully someone is keeping track of all the cool things I say...
Townes lived an interesting life that was deeply rooted with depression. It was crazy to read about how unorganized (I can't think of the right word to describe) his mental health was. He never drank water, only vodka, maintaining a steady buzz throughout the day. He talked regularly with various ghosts around him who helped him write his music. He also would say that the ghosts filled the room when he was feeling more depressed than usual. Often, he would leave the stage in tears after his concerts because the emotions from his songs were too much to handle.
In the end, I feel Eggers did a really cool job of telling memorable stories about Townes, while also highlighting specific conversations they had and phrases he said to illustrate the pain Townes was going through. When you see successful musicians and artists, I always have to imagine that they are struggling with some kind of deeper pain than anyone can see. It's interesting to wonder how someone like this would respond to the gospel, and the promise of a renewed mind. Or maybe even how the gospel could be successfully displayed so that someone could grasp it.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring a behind the scenes look at what makes a creative mind. The only thing preventing me from giving this five stars was all of the name dropping of musicians and artists. I couldn't really appreciate those parts of the book, at least not in the way I imagined Eggers intended it. Still a dope book.
I love biographies because you get the full story of why someone is who they are. I especially loved the idea of a biography written by Harold Eggers, Townes Van Zandt's manager. It makes me wonder how I would be written about by the people who know me best. Hopefully someone is keeping track of all the cool things I say...
Townes lived an interesting life that was deeply rooted with depression. It was crazy to read about how unorganized (I can't think of the right word to describe) his mental health was. He never drank water, only vodka, maintaining a steady buzz throughout the day. He talked regularly with various ghosts around him who helped him write his music. He also would say that the ghosts filled the room when he was feeling more depressed than usual. Often, he would leave the stage in tears after his concerts because the emotions from his songs were too much to handle.
In the end, I feel Eggers did a really cool job of telling memorable stories about Townes, while also highlighting specific conversations they had and phrases he said to illustrate the pain Townes was going through. When you see successful musicians and artists, I always have to imagine that they are struggling with some kind of deeper pain than anyone can see. It's interesting to wonder how someone like this would respond to the gospel, and the promise of a renewed mind. Or maybe even how the gospel could be successfully displayed so that someone could grasp it.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring a behind the scenes look at what makes a creative mind. The only thing preventing me from giving this five stars was all of the name dropping of musicians and artists. I couldn't really appreciate those parts of the book, at least not in the way I imagined Eggers intended it. Still a dope book.
February 9, 2019
If you are a fan of Townes Van Zandt then this is a must read. Harold F. Eggers Jr. did a wonderful job of documenting and telling his story along with Townes's story. Very interesting. The honesty was felt. I sensed L.E. McCullough's talent shown through in this book, so much thanks for making this so enjoyable to read. I hope to meet many of the fans of Townes at next years, 2020, Tribute event in Louisville, Ky . Here is the link for this years event, just follow and you should get updates for next years event.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&r...
May 12, 2019
Eggers produces an unflinchingly honest account of life alongside Townes that resembles Van Zandt’s songbook - stories of happiness, sadness, wry humor, pain, and a kindling of hope abound. This may be as close as we come to knowing who Townes was, and for that reason alone it is a worthwhile read. Anyone from those with a passing interest in TVZ to his most ardent fans will enjoy this.
June 23, 2020
Such a moving book describing the bond between genius and insanity. Townes was a musical genius with bipolar disorder whose manager, a Vietnam Vet who had his own demons to fight, but together they became a team. Traveling the globe detailing amazing creativity that flowed from the darkest places. A sad but true story of a geniuses life on the road.
October 16, 2020
This is certainly an interesting book. A road journal chronicling a few tours and the many foibles of a life with Townes. It's a neat story. Hearing some of the details of his final recording session and the days preceding his death was definitely the "highlight" of the book. I feel like Eggers white-washed a lot of the darkness Townes created, but we all like to mythologize the ones we love.
December 21, 2022
Many parts of this book have stuck with me. And it adds a new dimension to the music, this narrative of TVZ's life and the kind of decisions he made--not really far off from the characters he sings about. Also, he saw demons!
May 31, 2025
Eggers’ account is probably the closest I’ll ever get to an inside, in depth understanding of the brilliant, troubled mind of Townes Van Zandt and, as such, infinitely precious to me. Always perceptive, poignant and truly insightful.
March 1, 2019
A loving, honest view of a beautiful, painful life.
June 27, 2019
2019 POPSugar Reading Challenge written by a musician
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June 21, 2020Bit disjointed but fascinating nonetheless
March 25, 2021
I would recommend this book to any Townes fan, a wonderful and tragic account of what it’s like to be on the road with him.
January 21, 2022
Excellent memoir of the writer and a nuanced look at Townes. Has prompted me to listen to him more. What a brilliant artist
November 6, 2022
Two warriors on the road. Excellent book about my favorite songwriter.
April 11, 2023
A powerful, revelatory read from the perspective of someone who knew Van Zandt probably as well as anyone possibly could.
August 14, 2024
A must read for all Townes fans, Harold was there from Day 1.
5 stars.
5 stars.
December 13, 2022
In a word "Awesome".
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March 24, 2019Review originally published on Lone Star Literary Life
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews