LaFave began school down the road from Wills Point in Mesquite and by Junior High was making music perched behind his Sears & Roebuck drum kit. It was in this landscape that he began to define his sound and soak up a combination of his experiences among authentic songwriters from the tradition of Woody Guthrie. Before leaving Oklahoma for Austin, Jimmy did some independent recording and toured the southwest with the first version of his band Night Tribe.
In an article published in The Austin Chronicle in April 2017, LaFave announced publicly that he was battling myxofibrosarcoma, a rare form of cancer that had been diagnosed one year earlier. After various treatments failed, doctors advised LaFave that there was nothing else the medical profession could provide. During the course of his illness leading up to this announcement, LaFave continued to perform – not cancelling even one show. In addition, he continued to record new songs that he hoped would add to his legacy.
At the time of the public announcement, The Austin Statesman announced that a concert to honor LaFave would be held at the Paramount Theater in Austin, Texas on May 18, 2017. LaFave helped in the selection of friends and musicians who would perform that night. LaFave also selected charities that would benefit from a crowdfunding effort set up in his honor. A crowdfunding effort "Celebrating Jimmy LaFave" was set up via GoFundMe and received about $55,000 in donations.
LaFave died of cancer at his home in Austin, Texas, at the age of 61. His death came just three days after making an appearance at the Paramount Theater tribute show in Austin. According to The Austin Statesman: "A sold-out audience heard artists ranging from Austin artists including Eliza Gilkyson, Slaid Cleaves and Ruthie Foster, plus some from out-of-state including Nashville’s Gretchen Peters, Boston’s Ellis Paul and Woody Guthrie’s granddaughter Sarah Lee Guthrie, primarily playing songs that LaFave wrote or were part of his repertoire."
Within 24 hours, LaFave's death was reported in numerous newspapers throughout Texas and Oklahoma, in The New York Times and as far away as England, where he often performed
He moved to Austin in 1986, where he continued to write songs and to develop his musical ideas. Shortly after arriving he was asked to help launch the songwriter nights at the new performance venue Chicago House. In 1988 he recorded his self–produced tape, Highway Angels...Full Moon Rain, which won the Austin Chronicle Reader’s Poll Tape of the Year Award. This led to a recording contract with a small independent label and allowed LaFave the opportunity to work with Bob Johnston, producer of several of LaFave’s favorite albums including Bob Dylan’s Blonde on Blonde and Nashville Skyline.
His second album, Highway Trance was released in 1994 followed by his third CD, Buffalo Return to the Plains, in 1995.
The grass roots demand and critical acclaim for LaFave’s music, which led to extensive touring in the United States and Europe, was recognized in 1996 when he was asked to tape a performance for the PBS musical series Austin City Limits, and was invited by Nora Guthrie to appear in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to Woody Guthrie. That same year LaFave won his second consecutive Austin Music Award for Best Singer–Songwriter. His fourth CD, Road Novel, which was released in early 1997, received many glowing reviews. That year he was asked by Nora Guthrie to speak and perform at the induction of Woody Guthrie into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
In 2001, LaFave released Texoma, a celebration of the Americana spirit with a heartfelt valentine to the heartland. KGSR Program Director, Jody Denberg called it a “phenomenon.” Denberg said, “the phones lit up immediately after it was added to the playlist, and they stayed lit.” Since the release of Texoma, Jimmy combined his solo dates with the Woody Guthrie tribute tour titled “The Ribbon of Highway – Endless Skyway,” featuring a rotating cast of Americana musicians that has included such notables as Eliza Gilkyson, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion, Tom Russell and Slaid Cleaves. The two–disc live album Ribbon of Highway Endless Skyway is a collection of the tour’s live performances that features some of Jimmy’s interpretations of Woody Guthrie classics.
Encouraged by his friend, fellow Austin artist Eliza Gilkyson, LaFave signed with indie label Red House records, and in 2005 released Blue Nightfall. This stunningly soulful album was LaFave’s first in 4 years and won him much critical attention. LaFave’s album Cimarron Manifesto finds LaFave taking a more country road, with sweet and mournful songs about life and loss and special guest appearances by Carrie Rodriguez, Ruthie Foster and Kacy Crowley. Following the release of this album, LaFave toured across North America.
The Beauty Of You
Jimmy LaFave Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking up at the milky way
Always taken by the magic
Of every single day
Tall pine trees were all around me
Snow capped mountains up above, yeah
And my heart is filled with gladness
When I wake up
In the middle of the night
Just to question what is wrong and what is right
I find my answers
It′s always true
The path leads to
The beauty of you
In this world filled with wonder
As we circle around the sun
Every moment it is measured
And not just the treasured ones
When I wake up
In the middle of the night
Just to question what is wrong and what is right
I find my answer
It's always true
The path leads to
The beauty of you
Oh, oh, oh the beauty of you
When I wake up, ooh
In the middle of the night
Just to question what is wrong and what is right
I know the answer
Oh, it′s always true
The path leads to
The path leads to
The beauty of you
The simple beauty of you
Keep shining on
The beauty of you
The lyrics to Jimmy LaFave's song "The Beauty Of You" convey a sense of awe and appreciation for the natural world and the simple joys of life. The singer describes walking through a forest, gazing at the vastness of the night sky, and being captivated by the magic that surrounds them every day. The presence of tall pine trees and snow-capped mountains adds to the enchantment of the scene.
In the midst of this beauty, the singer seeks answers to life's questions in moments of introspection. The middle of the night becomes a time for reflection on what is right and wrong. However, in these moments of contemplation, the singer finds solace and clarity. They realize that the path to truth and understanding lies in embracing the beauty of others, particularly the person they are addressing in the song. The lyrics suggest that the simple beauty found in human connection and love is a guiding force in navigating the complexities of life.
The song celebrates the wonder of existence, emphasizing that every moment, not just the extraordinary ones, should be appreciated and cherished. It highlights the cyclical nature of life as we orbit around the sun, reminding listeners to find joy in the ordinary and acknowledge the passing of time. Ultimately, the lyrics convey a message of gratitude and an appreciation for the profound impact that love and connection can have in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
As I was walking through the forest
While I was strolling among the trees
Looking up at the milky way
Gazing towards the celestial wonder of the galaxy
Always taken by the magic
Forever captivated by the enchantment
Of every single day
Present in the beauty of each and every day
Tall pine trees were all around me
Towering evergreens surrounded my presence
Snow capped mountains up above, yeah
With snow-covered peaks in the lofty heights, indeed
And my heart is filled with gladness
My heart is brimming with joy
Of all the things I love
For my affection towards all that I cherish
When I wake up
Upon awakening
In the middle of the night
During the darkness of the night
Just to question what is wrong and what is right
Merely to ponder the concepts of morality and righteousness
I find my answers
I discover my solutions
It's always true
They always ring true
The path leads to
The journey guides towards
The beauty of you
The splendid essence of your being
In this world filled with wonder
Within this world brimming with awe
As we circle around the sun
While we orbit around the sun
Every moment it is measured
Every instant is quantified
And not just the treasured ones
Not solely the cherished ones
When I wake up
Upon awakening
Just to question what is wrong and what is right
Merely to ponder the concepts of morality and righteousness
I find my answer
I discover my solution
It's always true
It always rings true
The path leads to
The journey guides towards
The beauty of you
The splendid essence of your being
Oh, oh, oh the beauty of you
Oh, the magnificent beauty that emanates from you
When I wake up, ooh
Upon awakening, oh
In the middle of the night
During the darkness of the night
Just to question what is wrong and what is right
Merely to ponder the concepts of morality and righteousness
I know the answer
I am aware of the solution
Oh, it's always true
Indeed, it always rings true
The path leads to
The journey guides towards
The path leads to
The journey guides towards
The beauty of you
The splendid essence of your being
The simple beauty of you
The uncomplicated magnificence that is you
Keep shining on
Continue to radiate your light
The beauty of you
The splendid essence of your being
Writer(s): Jimmy D La Fave
Contributed by Wyatt Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.