I learned from reading The Writer's Almanac by Garrison Keillor that the legendary Texas song writer and performer, Townes Van Zandt, was born on this day in 1944.
One of his most well-known songs is Pancho and Lefty, which was recorded by (among others) Willy Nelson and Merle Haggard.
Before we hear it, though, listen to Van Zandt himself telling how he came to write it.
Townes was a troubled man, suffering from what is now known as bipolarism and addicted to alcohol and various illicit drugs.
He died on New Year's Day in 1997, at the age of 52.
In this video of Pancho and Lefty, he can be seen several times in cameos.
