Shaver/Friedman tour CD sees light of day

Omnivore Recordings will release "Live Down Under" as CD and Digital on Oct. 17.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, two Texas legends, Billy Joe Shaver and Kinky Friedman!," announced Jeff "Little Jewford" Shelby before the nightly coin toss to decide who would go first on the 2002 Australian tour. The spotlight then passed back and forth between the two, supported by guitarist Jesse Taylor, Washington Ratso and Little Jewford.

The tour started when Shaver, still recovering from the loss of his mother, wife and son was lured out of mourning by Friedman to do their "Two for Texas" tour in 2001, which ended with Shaver unexpectedly suffering a heart attack at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas that August. Angioplasty was performed, but Shaver, fearing the risks, was resisting medical advice to have quadruple heart bypass surgery, taking karmic instruction from Nelson to get out and stay active. That led to the Australian tour.

Friedman said, "The doctors wanted him to have the surgery, but he said no. And they didn't want him going to Australia with Kinky. That it was the wrong thing to do. But Billy Joe was in a dark place; the recent family tragedies, the health concerns. Staying home with the curtains drawn and all its temptations seemed as risky as going. Willie and I both agreed, the best therapy he could have was to get out and have a good time."

The track list is:
1. Intro Coin Toss
2. Georgia On A Fast Train
3. Western Union Wire
4. Star In My Heart
5. Rapid City, South Dakota
6. Old Chunck Of Coal
7. Sold American
8. Ride Me Down Easy
9. Wild Man From Borneo
10. When The Fallen Angels Fly
11. Marilyn And Joe
12. You Asked Me To
13. Before All Hell Breaks Loose
14. Honky Tonk Heroes
15. Get Your Biscuits In The Oven And Your Buns In The Bed
16. Live Forever
17. You Wouldn't Know Love (if You Fell In It)
18. Ride 'Em Jewboy
19. Old Five And Dimers Like Me
20. Keep On The Sunnyside
21. Try And Try Again
22. Outro Thanks And Goodbye!