Jerry Jeff Walker portrait Jerry Jeff Walker (1942-2020) was one of the central figures of the Texas outlaw scene, having moved to Austin after a stint as a Greenwich Village troubadour during the late 'Sixties folk scene. Jerry Jeff found his people in Texas... he also found a killer backing band when he teamed up with Gary P. Nunn and the Lost Gonzo Band, who backed him live and on several of his best early albums. Although he made his name with the hit song "Mr. Bojangles," his fans favorites included more rough-cut, raspy classics such as "London Homesick Blues" and "Up Against The Wall, Redneck Mother." Jerry Jeff was as much famous for his laconic, laid-back, super-mellow, party animal persona as for his music: he was Lebowski before Lebowski, Jimmy Buffett before the parrots. He was also an incredibly prolific musician, constantly touring and recording dozens of albums, and helped popularize numerous songwriters, including Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Here's a quick look at his work...


CD Best-Ofs

Jerry Jeff Walker "The Best Of The Vanguard Years" (Vanguard Records, 1999)
A selection of Walker's early work, when he was still a would-be Ramblin' Jack, bumming and busking across the continent and doing the Greenwich Village folkie thing... It's not the party animal persona we've come to know and love, but it may be of historical interest to his many fans... This disc draws on the albums Circus Maximus, Neverland Revisited, and Driftin' Way Of Life (all listed below).


Jerry Jeff Walker "Lone Wolf: The Best Of Jerry Jeff Walker Elektra Sessions" (Warner Brothers, 1998)
A nice condensation of Walker's late-'70s Elektra offerings, drawn from the Jerry Jeff and Too Old To Change albums (listed below). There's also a twofer reissue that includes both albums that might be of interest as well.


Jerry Jeff Walker "The Best Of Jerry Jeff Walker" (MCA Records, 1980)
For many years this was the standard-issue Jerry Jeff best-of set... Originally an LP, it translated into the digital era intact, but better sets have come along (and are sure to come) since this originally came out.


Jerry Jeff Walker "Great Gonzos" (MCA Records, 1991)
A fine best-of set trawling through his MCA years...


Jerry Jeff Walker "The Ultimate Collection" (Universal/Hip-O Records, 2001)
A legendary '70s troubadour/clown/stoner god/party animal (didn't they do anything else but get high back then??)... Jerry Jeff was an icon 'way back when, and he's still kicking and touring and making great records today. His independently-owned Tried and True label has had a great track record so far; Walker's new material is at least as good as any of his classic "outlaw" material on MCA... A warm, humorous performer with a very human persona.


Jerry Jeff Walker "The Millennium Collection: The Best Of Jerry Jeff Walker" (MCA Nashville, 2002)
This 12-song sampler isn't quite as comprehensive as 2001's somewhat similar Ultimate Collection, but it's a fine set in and of itself. Includes a surprising number of Jerry Jeff's raunchier cult classics, and will certainly do in a pinch. Diehard fans will, of course, have to seek out the original albums, but anyone who just wants to get their feet wet and see what all the fuss is about will find this disc pretty useful. I wish they could've included "London Homesick Blues" as well, but hey, you can't have everything!




Album Discography

Jerry Jeff Walker "Circus Maximus" (Vanguard Records, 1967) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Neverland Revisited" (Vanguard Records, 1968) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Mr. Bojangles" (Atco Records, 1968) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Driftin' Way Of Life" (Vanguard Records, 1969) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Five Years Gone" (Atco Records, 1970) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Bein' Free" (Atco Records, 1970) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Jerry Jeff Walker" (MCA Records, 1972) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Viva Terlingua" (MCA Records, 1973) (LP)
A major, classic album of the pre-alt/outlaw country genre, back before "alt country" had a name... This disc is certainly one of Jerry Jeff's best, opening with the impish anthem, "Gettin' By," in which our stoner-slacker hero makes light of his obligations as a recording artist... From there, the record drifts sideways a bit, with Walker's epochal recordings of Guy Clark's "Desperados Waiting For The Train" (which came out a couple of years earlier than Clark's own version) and Ray Wiley Hubbard's "Up Against The Wall, Redneck Mother," one of the staple songs of freeform-country radio for many years to come. The album ends with Gary P. Nunn's rueful "London Homesick Blues" (with Nunn singing the lead) and a bunch of spaced-out Walker originals in between. These sessions were recorded "live" (though not necessarily in front of an audience) in the dusty backwaters of Luckenbach, Texas, a favorite haunt of Walker and his hippiebilly pals. Along with Nunn, steel player Herb Steiner and harmonicat Mickey Raphael were in the band -- this is some of the finest longhaired country of the decade; even when you can't figure what the heck the songs were about, Walker and his crew had a vibe that made their music a pleasure to put on to while the hours away. Recommended!


Jerry Jeff Walker "Walker's Collectibles" (MCA Records, 1974) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Ridin' High" (MCA Records, 1975) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "It's A Good Night For Singing" (MCA Records, 1976) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "A Man Must Carry On" (MCA Records, 1977) (LP)
Originally a double-album set, this got chopped up in the CD reissue into two separate records, which might be fine for many fans who disliked the mix of live and studio, and found some of the material to be a bit self-indulgent. Anyway, at least it made it back into print!


Jerry Jeff Walker "Contrary To Ordinary" (MCA Records, 1978) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Jerry Jeff (Red, White & Blue)" (Elektra/Asylum Records, 1978) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Too Old To Change" (Elektra/Asylum Records, 1979) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Reunion" (MCA Records, 1981) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Cowjazz" (MCA Records, 1982) (LP)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Gypsy Songman" (Rykodisc, 1986)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Live At Gruene Hall" (Rykodisc, 1989)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Navajo Rug" (Rykodisc, 1991)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Hill Country Rain" (Rykodisc, 1992)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Viva Luckenbach" (Rykodisc, 1994)
A live album, echoing his landmark Viva, Terlingua! masterpiece...


Jerry Jeff Walker "Christmas Gonzo Style" (Rykodisc, 1994)
Could you imagine spending Christmas with Jerry Jeff Walker? I mean, for real? Well, now you don't have to imagine it -- you can have the old coot sing you his own unique holiday tunes in the privacy of your own home... Or on your own holiday, down in Mexico! Your choice, pardner! Either way, this is a pretty fun little album.


Jerry Jeff Walker "Night After Night" (Tried And True Records, 1995)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Scamp" (Tried And True Records, 1996)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Cowboy Boots And Bathing Suits" (Tried And True Records, 1998)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Gypsy Songman: A Life In Song" (Tried And True Records, 1999)
The companion disc to Scamp Walker's autobiography (listed below)... This album features re-recorded versions of a bunch of Jerry Jeff oldies, as well as a few new tunes...


Jerry Jeff Walker "Gonzo Stew" (Tried And True Records, 2001)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Jerry Jeff Jazz" (Tried And True Records, 2003)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Best Of The Rest" (Tried And True Records, 2005)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Best Of The Rest, v.2" (Tried And True Records, 2006)


Jerry Jeff Walker "Moon Child" (Tried And True Records, 2011)



Related Records

The Lost Gonzo Band "Dead Armadillos" (Edsel Records, 1996)
Jerry Jeff's old backing band... Steeped in the mystique of their association with Jerry Jeff Walker, they managed to wrangle a couple of LPs out of their record label before getting shuffled quietly under the rug. This disc collects material from their first two LPs, the highlight track is, of course, the classic "London Homesick Blues," with the chorus: "I wanna go home with the armadilla/with country music from Amarilla to Abeline/the friendliest people and the purtiest women you ever seen..." It was the only time on record that Lost Gonzo songwriter Gary P. Nunn outshone Jerry Jeff as a performer... at least until he pursued a solo career on his own label. Nunn's solo records throughout the '80s and early '90s have been uniformly high-quality.


Django Walker "Down The Road" (Lazy Kid Records, 2002)
Yup, it's Jerry Jeff's boy... Haven't heard this one yet, but I imagine some day I will... (You can also check out his website at www.djangowalker.com )


Django Walker "Six Trips Around The World" (Lazy Kid Records, 2006)



Other Media

Jerry Jeff Walker "Gypsy Songman" (Book) (Tried And True, 1999)
Jerry Jeff's autobiography... Ya know there's gotta be some good stories in there! Walker also recorded an album by the same title (listed above) that features re-recorded versions of a bunch of Jerry Jeff oldies, as well as a few new tunes...


Jerry Jeff Walker "The One and Only" (DVD) (Tried And True, 2004)





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