Usually, when we talk about a musical pioneer, there’s this expectation of a lasting, tangible monument. Right, like a statue in a hometown square. Exactly, or a sprawling museum exhibit, just something you can physically run your hands over.

Because there are a lot of talented people there. But the answer lies in the undeniable structural quality of his work. People didn’t flock to his house just for the parties. Though the sources definitely confirm those parties were epic.

• Because even if you think you have never heard a Guy Clark song, I guarantee you have felt his impact
• To understand how he built that massive legacy, we have to look at the foundation he poured back in Texas, right
• During this formative time, he also married his first wife, a folk singer named Susanna Talley
• He literally built guitars by hand, which is an incredibly painstaking, detail -oriented craft
• Songs like LA Freeway, Desperados Waiting for a Train, and That Old Time Feeling