Townes Van Zandt was a deeply troubled and self-destructive man with a gift for beautiful melodies and poetic lyrics. He was no great shakes as a singer, but his mournful voice gave his ballads a heart and a soul that made them come alive. Before he died at 52 of the abuse he heaped upon his weary body, he wrote hundreds of classic songs. This excellent 2-CD set presents a representative sampling of 33 of his most renowned tunes.Mental illness and drug addiction meant that he never achieved great success during his lifetime, but he left a priceless body of work that is deeply loved by his fans. Often called a songwriter's songwriter, Van Zandt's work has been covered by a who's-who of American rock, country, and folk performers: Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, Joe Ely, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and many more praise him for his passion, talent, and honesty. You can meet Townes and his friends in a terrific documentary entitled "Be Here to Love Me," which I also recommend.