There are a lot of ways to talk about Townes Van Zandt. The misunderstood bipolar child of a prominent Texas family. The brilliant, poetic songwriter. The self-destructive alcoholic and drug addict. The affable, charismatic showman. The friend and father. But no one described Townes Van Zandt better than his lifelong close compatriot, songwriter Guy Clark.

In the 2005 biopic Be Here to Love Me, Clark relates a story that Townes shared of a life-shaping experience he had as a child. Townes was attending a “sit up straight”, proper “Texas gentleman” school in the 3rd grade when one day the teacher announced it was time to learn about science and the Universe. The teacher went on to explain that the sun in our solar system is a star, and that all stars eventually burn out.

Townes told Clark that this info hit him hard.

“Excuse me?” the 3rd grader Townes asked his teacher. “You mean to tell me I’ve got to shine my shoes, be here on time, do my homework, sit up straight, and the SUN’S BURNING OUT?”

Townes said from that day on that’s the way he lived his life: “Excuse me, the sun’s burning out. Are you hip? [Expletive] this.”

That kind of living can generate the kind of abandon that produces great art, but also can be destructive. Townes created songs that were masterpieces of lyrical poetry, covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, and countless artists over the years. He also passed away at 52 as a result of his alcoholism and drug addiction, leaving behind children, family, and friends.

Townes Van Zandt was born on March 7th, 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas. WUMB will celebrate one of the greatest songwriters of the “Outlaw Country” movement throughout the day on Monday.

Hear the Artist of the Day features in the 9 AM, noon, 3 PM, and 7 PM hours each weekday.