James McMurtry

I got to see my big favorite a few weeks back at a place in Dallas called Poor David’s Pub. James McMurtry left his band at home and did a solo show.

It was outstanding! As great as his lyrics are, he has a really unique way with a guitar.
He opened his show with “Down Across the Delaware” off of his “Where’d You Hide the Body” album from 1995.
I was living that song when it first came out, and I lived it a number of years, all the way through to the last verse:

I heard a voice today I swore I knew
From somewhere down in the southern sticks
I turned around to see some ragged stranger
Bummin’ change on the outbound six
And I froze like a stone…
Could I ever get that low?
Turned my face to the window
There by the grace of God I go
Where the garden state gives way to the real world
Falls away in the rear view mirror
I’ll mend my wounds and wait out the winter
Down across the Delaware

So I got to meet him after the show, and shake his hand.
I told him that I had a blog out there that I had stolen a line from “Too Long in the Wasteland” for the title.
“That’s OK” he assured me.
“I call myself “Bulletholes in the Mailbox”; isn’t that a great name for a blog?” but he just shrugged and turned to the camera.
I don’t think he was all that impressed.

Heres another nice one, from the same album, where James demonstrates his own unique sound. I love the simple guitar work here. I don't think anybody else sounds quite like this.