The Institute is proud to announce that Billy Joe Shaver performed on Sunday the 14th September at a partner venue 'The Luminaire'.

Finally, the chance to see why Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Joe Ely, Dale Watson...and just about anyone who is anyone in country music holds Shaver and his songwriting in such high regard.

"He is my favourite songwriter" - Johnny Cash

"He is just about the best living songwriter out there." - Willie Nelson

As often is the case, the Institute is offered 20 subsidised places at £7 per ticket.

www.billyjoeshaver.com

Brief History

Shaver was raised by his mother, Victory Watson Shaver, after his father Virgil left the family before he was born. Until he was 12, he spent a great deal of time with his grandmother in Corsicana, Texas so that his mother could work in Waco. He sometimes accompanied his mother to her job at a local nightclub, where he began to be exposed to country music.

Shaver took a job at a lumber mill to make ends meet. One day his right hand (his dominant hand) became caught in the machinery, and he lost the better part of two fingers and contracted a serious infection. He eventually recovered, and taught himself to play the guitar without those missing fingers.

Shaver decided that life was too short to do something he didn't enjoy, so he set out one day to hitchhike to L.A.. He couldn't get a ride west, and ended up accompanying a man who dropped him off just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. The next ride brought him to Nashville, where he found a job as a songwriter for $50/week. His work came to the attention of Waylon Jennings, who filled most of his album Honky Tonk Heroes with Shaver's songs. Other artists, including Elvis Presley and Kris Kristofferson, began to record Shaver's music. This led to his own record deal.

Billy Joe Shaver is known for his hit "Live Forever", written with the help of his son before his son's death, performed by The Highwaymen. He also wrote numerous songs for artists such as Patty Loveless and Willie Nelson. For his efforts, the Americana Music Convention awarded him their Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting.

In 1999, Shaver was invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. In November 2005, Billy Joe Shaver performed on the CMT Outlaws 2005. In 2006, Shaver was inducted in the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame. He recently served as spiritual advisor to Texas independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman. He currently lives in Waco, Texas.