During the late 1950s, Crosby was a member of a local Oneonta teen band called The Tones. The band traveled to Philadelphia to audition for Dick Clark's "American Bandstand", but were turned down. Members of the band found Dick Clark's house and were able to get a recommendation to audition at New York City's Baton Records through the company's lead producer Sol Rabinowitz. The band was given a recording contract, but the studio wanted a quintet backed by studio musicians, which left Crosby and another member out of their recordings.
After high school, Crosby joined the National Guard, but his thirst for adventure led him to go AWOL and roam the country busking for a living in areas like New Orleans, Texas, Florida, and New York. He played mostly ukulele until Harriet Ottenheimer, one of the founders of The Quorum, got him settled on a guitar in 1963. He adopted his stage name "Jerry Jeff Walker" in 1966. He spent his early folk music days in Greenwich Village in the mid 1960s. He co-founded a band with Bob Bruno in the late 1960s called Circus Maximus that put out two albums one with the popular west coast hit "Wind", but Bruno's interest in jazz apparently diverged from Walker's interest in folk music. Walker thus resumed his solo career and recorded the seminal album "Mr. Bojangles" with the help of David Bromberg and other influential Atlantic recording artists. He settled in Austin, Texas, in the 1970s associating mainly with the country-rock outlaw scene that included artists such as Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, Waylon Jennings, and Townes Van Zandt.
"Mr. Bojangles" (written by Walker) is perhaps his most well-known and most-often covered song. It was about an obscure alcoholic but talented tap-dancing drifter, (not the famous stage and movie dancer Bill Robinson, as usually assumed). Bojangles is thought to have been a folk character who entertained informally in the south of the US and California, and some say he might have been one of the most gifted natural dancers ever. Authentic reports of him exist from the 1920s through about 1965. Artists from Nina Simone to Bob Dylan, Philip Glass to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, have covered the song. Walker has also recorded songs written by others such as "LA Freeway" (Guy Clark), and "Up Against the Wall Red Neck Mother" (Ray Wylie Hubbard).
A string of records for MCA and Elektra followed Jerry Jeff's move to Austin, before he gave up on the mainstream music business and formed his own independent record label. Tried & True Music was founded in 1986, with his wife Susan as President and manager. Susan also founded Goodknight Music as his management company and Tried & True Artists for his bookings. A series of increasingly autobiographical records followed under the Tried & True imprint. Tried & True also sells his autobiography called "Gypsy Songman". In 2004, Jerry Jeff released his first DVD of songs from his past as performed in an intimate setting in Austin, TX.
He interpreted the songs of others like Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Keith Sykes, Paul Siebel, Bob Dylan, Todd Snider and even a rodeo clown named Billy Jim Baker.
His son, Django Walker, is also a musician. In addition to his residence in Austin, Walker had a retreat on Ambergris Caye in Belize where he recorded his "Cowboy Boots and Bathing Suits" album in 1998.
Members of his band varied over the years. The Lost Gonzo Band and the Gonzo Compadres have backed him in the past. Key members of his band included Craig Hillis - guitarist and arranger on Viva Terlingua, John Inmon, Freddy Krc, Gary P. Nunn, Bob Livingston, Bobby Rambo, Mitch Watkins, Steve Samuel, David Bromberg and others.
Down the Road
Jerry Jeff Walker Lyrics
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Took the bus out of Austin, band was all on board
Everyone's so excited, who knows what lays in store
Hey look out the window, there goes Baton Rouge
Nobody there knows us, band's still paying its dues
Yeah we're paying dues
On the road in the morning, Little Rock's where we'll be
And the bus keeps on rolling, down that old highway
And every night we play music, that's what gets you through the day
Yeah, cause that's why we play
And the rain keeps pouring down and it's leaking in our beat-up bus
Still we're high and dry inside and there's a rainbow ahead of us
People say we're crazy to go searching for a pot of gold
But we got to chase that dream before we're too damn old
Last show's in Kentucky, took the bus on out of town
All the girls were waving come back, so we were Texas Bound
Fast food and motel rooms, sure got the best of me
But looking back if you ask me, hell I'd do it for free
Yeah cause some times we do
Yeah sometimes we do
Down the road so many miles to go, who knows what city's next
Who knows what lies ahead, who knows...
The song "Down the Road" by Jerry Jeff Walker is a reflective tribute to the life of a musician on tour. The song's lyrics are written from the perspective of the band members, as they travel from city to city, performing their music and meeting new people along the way. The first verse sets the scene for the journey, as the band leaves Austin and heads to an unknown destination. The excitement of the trip is palpable, with the anticipation of new experiences and adventures to come.
The second verse describes the band's arrival in New Orleans, with a view of the famous Bourbon Street. The lyrics suggest that playing music is what keeps them going, as each night they perform in a new location. The chorus emphasizes the hard work and determination required to be successful in the music industry, with the repeated line "we're paying dues". Despite the difficulties of being on the road, like a leaky bus during a rainstorm, the band remains optimistic and focused on the rainbow ahead.
The final verse touches on the sacrifices made to pursue this dream, with the fast food and motel rooms taking a toll on the band members. However, looking back, the experience was invaluable, and the opportunity to play music for a living was worth the challenges. The final line, "sometimes we do", suggests that it's not always easy, but the love of music and the journey is what keeps them going.
Overall, "Down the Road" is a heartfelt, honest portrayal of the life of a musician on tour. Through its vivid imagery and powerful lyrics, the song captures the ups and downs of the journey and the determination required to chase a dream.
Line by Line Meaning
Took the bus out of Austin, band was all on board
The band left Austin by bus with everyone present and ready for the journey ahead
Everyone's so excited, who knows what lays in store
All members of the band were thrilled and curious about the opportunities that awaited them
Hey look out the window, there goes Baton Rouge
One of the band members noticed that they had arrived in Baton Rouge
Nobody there knows us, band's still paying its dues
The band was still new and hadn't gained much recognition yet, even in Baton Rouge
Yeah we're paying dues
The band was still struggling to gain popularity and recognition
First show in New Orleans, saw the lights of Bourbon Street
The band performed for the first time in New Orleans and was impressed by the lights of Bourbon Street
On the road in the morning, Little Rock's where we'll be
The band was en route to Little Rock the following morning
And the bus keeps on rolling, down that old highway
The band's bus continued to travel along the same old highway without any major hiccups
And every night we play music, that's what gets you through the day
Playing music every night was what kept the band going and motivated
Yeah, cause that's why we play
The band played music to keep themselves motivated and moving forward
And the rain keeps pouring down and it's leaking in our beat-up bus
The band's bus was old and rickety, and the rain was leaking inside
Still we're high and dry inside and there's a rainbow ahead of us
Despite the rain, the band remained hopeful that brighter days were ahead
People say we're crazy to go searching for a pot of gold
Some people believed that the band's search for fame and success was foolish
But we got to chase that dream before we're too damn old
The band believed that it was important to pursue their dreams before it was too late
Last show's in Kentucky, took the bus on out of town
The band's final performance was in Kentucky, and they left town by bus afterward
All the girls were waving come back, so we were Texas Bound
The band received a warm farewell from the girls and decided to return to Texas
Fast food and motel rooms, sure got the best of me
The band had to settle for fast food and basic motel rooms during their travels, which wasn't ideal
But looking back if you ask me, hell I'd do it for free
Despite the struggles, the band member believed that it was worth it, and they would do it again for free
Yeah cause some times we do
Sometimes the band would perform for free, not just for the money
Down the road so many miles to go, who knows what city's next
The band still had a long way to go, and they weren't sure which city they would be in next
Who knows what lies ahead, who knows...
The band wasn't certain about what opportunities were ahead or how the future would unfold
Contributed by Skyler A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.