Sittin' by the Road

Born Michael David Fuller in West Texas, Blaze Foley was shot and killed in 1989 at the age of 39. He has served as an inspiration to Townes Van Zandt and Lucinda Williams, who paid tribute to him in song, and his work has been acknowledged by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, who recorded Foley’s tune “If I Could Only Fly.” His own recordings are scarce and this collection is part of his “tree house” period in the mid-‘70s when he recorded on a reel-to-reel machine while traveling between Texas and rural Georgia. The acoustic simplicity and basic sound quality add an extra dimension to these timeless, lonesome songs written by a man who tested the limits of life. “Rainbows and Ridges” is exquisite. “Big Cheeseburgers & Good French Fries” is the sound of a man finding simple satisfaction. However, Foley’s life was rarely that easy. “Fat Boy,” “The Way You Smile” and the title track are previously unreleased and early versions of “If I Could Only Fly,” “Clay Pigeons” and “Election Day” make this a fascinating, heartbreaking listen.