Guy Clark: Songs and Stories (Dualtone)

Although the smart money would have been against his longevity, here is the road-worn troubadour Guy Clark -- 70 in November 2011 -- working his way through exactly what it says on the box, singing his back-catalogue (LA Freeway, The Randall Knife, The Cape, Homegrown Tomatoes among them) and Townes Van Zandt's If I Needed You.

Recording live in Nashville with a small band, Clark also weaves through some downhome stories (and an especially odd one about Townes' unusual behaviour). He also lets band members take centrestage in a couple of places.

Clark aficionados would most likely have all these songs but he certainly imbues some of them with a weariness in places which takes them to another place.

One for completists.

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