Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997) was a singer-songwriter, born in Texas to a life on the road. Van Zandt was master of the small, intimate folk performance, such as the July 1973 show that became Live At The Old Quarter Houston, Texas, the double album on Tomato Records. As the Austin Chronicle writes of the re-released CD, "Alone with a guitar, he hushes the crowd with his visionary tunes that are by turns haunting and eccentric, yet filled with beauty and dark shadows." Despite chronic battles with alcoholism and depression, his songwriting displayed a sense of humour and introspection, truth and beauty.

Many artists cite Townes' influence on their music, with covers of his songs recorded by the likes of Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Jeffrey Foucault, Cowboy Junkies, The Be Good Tanyas, Robert Earl Keen, James McMurtry and others. His son John T. Van Zandt, a craftsman in the mountains of colorado, contributed a song to the album, Poet: A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt.