The Townes Van Zandt story song “Pancho and Lefty” has become so beloved since its release in 1972, it fits somewhere between “Texas, Our Texas” and the “National Anthem” for many a Texas-based country music fan.
It’s for that reason it has been picked as one of nearly a dozen Texas-centric songs being featured on the upcoming Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation Album available November 17. This new rendition, which is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, features Austin’s very own Shane Smith and The Saints along with special guest Hayes Carll. “Pancho and Lefty” marks the third single from the TPWF’s upcoming album, titled “Texas Wild” which exclusively features Texas musicians, both well-known and rising stars, as they pay tribute to classic Texas tunes.
TPWF
According to Texas Hill Country, “Pancho and Lefty” was written by Van Zandt in a crummy hotel on the outskirts of Denton, the only lodging he could find, because at the time, Billy Graham was staging a huge festival that would be called the “Christian Woodstock.” All the decent hotels in the area were booked solid, which meant Van Zandt was exiled to a lonely room near Denton. Bored, Van Zandt decided to write a song. Three and a half hours later, “’Pancho and Lefty” drifted through the window,’” he said, “and I wrote it down.”
Since then, the storied song with lyrics about a bandit and his double-crossing sidekick was named one of Rolling Stone’s “100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time.” The 1983 cover, the most famous version by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, reached number one on the Billboard Country chart. “Pancho and Lefty” remains a Willie Nelson set staple.
“I’ve always loved Willie and Merle’s recording, but the song has been very impactful since Townes Van Zandt wrote it. Everything about it represents Texas, from the overall story to the music and of course, the intricate lyrics that Townes wrote,” Shane Smith says.
The fall release of the “Texas Wild” album is set to blend traditional Texas genres like blues, cumbia, and country with modern sounds like hip-hop, R&B, and electronica. The album is sponsored by notable Texas brands Rambler Sparkling Water and Tecovas. The release also features unique, block-print-style artwork by Texas illustrator Mishka Westell. Butler, a branding studio in Austin, also collaborated on the project’s concept and design.
“I was lucky enough to catch Townes perform at the Mucky Duck in Houston, and this song means so much to so many,” says TPWF Executive Director Anne Brown. “Pairing legendary lyricist Hayes Carll with rising superstars Shane Smith and the Saints for such an iconic outlaw staple has resulted in a truly stirring, soulful encore of a widely cherished Texas classic. The creative artistry captured on this and all of ‘Texas Wild’s’ featured tracks perfectly showcase the ever-evolving and enduring talent of Texas musicians.”
A full track listing will be available closer to the album release, so far the verified tracks include:
- Fat Tony featuring Paul Wall - “(Hey Baby) Que Paso” — Original Track: Sir Douglas Quintet
- The Texas Gentlemen - "(That's Right) You're Not From Texas" — Original Track: Lyle Lovett
- Shane Smith and The Saints featuring Hayes Carll - "Pancho and Lefty" — Original Track: Townes Van Zandt
- Luna Luna - “Si Una Vez” — Original Track: Selena Quintanilla
- Ryan Bingham - "Possum Kingdom" — Original Track: Toadies
- The Suffers - "My Maria" — Original Track: B.W. Stevenson
- Shakey Graves featuring Jess Williamson - "True Love Will Find You in the End" — Original Track: Daniel Johnston
- Sir Woman featuring Ray Wylie Hubbard - "Texas Sun" — Original Track: Khruangbin and Leon Bridges
- Adrian Quesada featuring US and the Soul Supporters - "Say My Name" — Original Track: Destiny’s Child
- Sarah Jaffe - "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" — Original Track: Willie Nelson
- Toadies - "Since U Been Gone" — Original Track: Kelly Clarkson
