Good Ole Boys With Guitars
They’ve all gone those singer songwriters of yesterday
or are in the process of leaving
But their songs remain in our hearts and psyches
their words forever embedded in our souls
They came like a breath of fresh air churning our souls
dressed in dirty blue jeans, muddy boots with smelly sweat
rough bearded faces extruding love for the bad guys
but proving they were the good guys
They were full of gall and grit
not looking for fights but willing to kick ass
they welcomed old highs with Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniels
joyful times too few and hangovers too often, too many
Sidewalks became obstacles in a cowboy’s walking stride
even if one is a beloved singer alcohol messes with everybody
with faces ending up making friends with concrete
but singer-songwriters lived up to their reputations
Don’t let them see you cry, Hank Williams said, let them hear it in a song
Their music and words touched the inner me
“He Stopped Loving Her Today” broke the hearts of everybody
it was sung by the man with his soul buried in his voice
George Jones twisted and bent the hell of notes till they cried and bled
Kristofferson wrote from of a place where angels live
he was fearless and pulled our hearts into the future
writing his words and music from our hearts and lives
we knew the love and pain expressed in his lyrics and music
It will be a long time before we hear such insight again
Johnny, Kris, Waylon, Willie, Merle, Johnny, Garth, Dylan
and a myriad of many more gifted writers and singers
who thrilled and delighted us with their talents and spirited lives
lifted us to places where we could feel God crying
And we cried until God commanded “PUT YOUR PAIN IN A SONG”!
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