Lucy Dacus Honors Blaze Foley with "Clay Pigeons" Cover!
Lucy Dacus Honors Blaze Foley with "Clay Pigeons" Cover!
Immerse yourself in Lucy Dacus's soulful rendition of Blaze Foley's "Clay Pigeons" from the upcoming "Sittin' with Blaze" tribute album. Discover the story behind this captivating cover!
Lucy Dacus has unveiled her moving cover of Blaze Foley’s poignant track, "Clay Pigeons," offering listeners an early glimpse into the highly anticipated tribute album, "Sittin’ with Blaze." The 13-track compilation celebrates the enduring legacy of the late Texas songwriter and features a star-studded lineup of Americana and leftfield artists, including Lucinda Williams, Phosphorescent, and Twain.
Dacus first encountered "Clay Pigeons" six years ago through a friend and was instantly captivated. She described her initial reaction, stating, “On first listen I was like, ‘This is one of the best songs ever written’.” She particularly appreciates the song's deliberate ambiguity, noting, “Something I like about it is you can’t tell if he’s giving up and running away from a life or if he’s trying really hard to find a new life. I guess a lot of travelling puts you in between those goals.” Her hope is that her version will inspire new listeners to explore Foley's original work.
The "Sittin’ with Blaze" album draws its material from Foley’s mid-1970s demos, which were originally released in 2010 as "Sittin’ by the Road." The compilation features a diverse array of artists such as Willie Watson, Cactus Lee, Dylan Earl, Uncle Lucius, Riley Downing, Joshua Ray Walker, Angela Autumn, John R. Miller, and John Moreland. Lucinda Williams, who famously called Foley a “beautiful loser,” contributes her take on "If I Could Only Fly," a song deeply intertwined with Foley’s story and one she memorably recorded on her "World Without Tears" album.
Blaze Foley’s life was tragically cut short in 1989 at the age of 39. During his lifetime, he was known primarily within a small circle of Austin's renegade musicians. However, in the decades since his passing, his songs have gained widespread recognition, covered by legends like John Prine, Merle Haggard, Lyle Lovett, Billy Strings, and Willie Nelson. Both Townes Van Zandt and Lucinda Williams have penned tribute songs to him, solidifying his posthumous fame.
Texas writer Joe Nick Patoski provides the liner notes for the new tribute set, emphasizing the timeless quality of Foley’s compositions. Patoski writes, “The songs Blaze created resonate and ring truer than ever. The hallmark of a great song is outliving its author. In Blaze’s case, there’s a whole catalogue of songs like that.” The upcoming album ensures that Foley’s powerful songwriting continues to reach new audiences and receive the appreciation it deserves.
