# Texas music legend passed



## Tony (May 17, 2016)

I don't know how many people outside of Texas will know who he is, but Guy Clark passed away today. He is a Texas music legend who wrote a ton of great songs. He was also a woodworker. Wrote a song called "The Carpenter " that has always spoken to me. Tony

Reactions: Like 2 | Sincere 1


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## Kevin (May 17, 2016)

I never heard of him until Lyle Lovett was praising him a few years ago on stage. I'm not familiar with his work though. Did find the Crapenter song you cited:






I really love that song Tony!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (May 17, 2016)

@Tony you did us a real solid reminding us about Guy. Thanks man.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (May 17, 2016)

I just love his music! Got a playlist going.


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## woodman6415 (May 17, 2016)

I love his music and all the songs he wrote...when you are on a stage with this kind of talent and they are singing one of your songs that is a testament to your greatness ... RIP you will be missed

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Way Cool 1


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## woodman6415 (May 17, 2016)

From Traces of Texas
Long but worth the read

So we’ve all heard Guy Clark’s song “LA Freeway,” with its famous intro:

Pack up all your dishes
Make note of all good wishes
Say goodbye to the landlord for me
That sum-bitch has always bored me
Throw out them old LA papers
And that moldy box of vanilla wafers
Adios to all this concrete
Gonna get me some dirt road back street

[Chorus]

If I can just get off of that L.A. Freeway etc…

Later on the narrator sings:

Here’s to you old skinny Dennis
The only one I think I will miss
I can hear that old bass singin’
Sweet and low like a gift you’re bringin’
Play it for me one more time now
Got to give it all we can now
I believe everything you're saying
Just keep on, keep on playing

There’s a lot of space here in Texas and driving around out there gives a man a lot of time to ponderate about things. I kept hearing “LA Freeway” on my IPOD shuffle and began to wonder who “Skinny Dennis” was. It became a pebble in the shoe of my consciousness til finally I got around to looking it up.

It turns out that “Skinny Dennis” was “Skinny Dennis” Sanchez, a stand-up bass player who hung around with Guy Clark (who wrote the song) in Los Angeles in the early 1970’s. According to Wikipedia, he was 6′11″, weighed 135 .lbs and (like Abraham Lincoln) had Marfan’s Syndrome. He died at the age of 28 while playing onstage at a small club in Los Angeles.

Here’s a photo of “Skinny Dennis” Sanchez. I apologize for the quality but it was the only one I could find. This is taken from a DVD called “Heartworn Highways,” a documentary about Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Roddy Crowell etc… and that nucleus of songwriters that lived all together in Nashville during the 1970’s.

Reactions: Like 3 | Great Post 1


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## Tony (May 17, 2016)

@Kevin, glad you like it. Listen to his "workbench songs" album sometime. Good stuff man! Tony


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## Tony (May 18, 2016)

One of the lines in The Carpenter is:

Anything that's worth cutting down a tree for is worth doing right.

I think that speaks for the pride of craftsmanship that people here show in their work. Tony

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Kevin (May 18, 2016)

Wendell another great post man. You're on a roll. We had a lady in our community with Marfans her whole family practically had it but she was the only one I knew. I think she made it to 50 which was much longer than her siblings and dad did. She worked at the Safeway here until it closed in the 80s then I rarely ever saw her again. I heard about her passing over 20 years ago now I guess.

Reactions: Like 1


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## JR Parks (May 19, 2016)

One of my favorites:
Yeah, hes one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
Spread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape

Read more: Guy Clark - Cape Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Reactions: Like 3


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## Tony (May 19, 2016)

JR Parks said:


> One of my favorites:
> Yeah, hes one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith
> Spread your arms and hold your breath and always trust your cape
> 
> Read more: Guy Clark - Cape Lyrics | MetroLyrics



That is a great line Jim! Tony


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## JonathanH (Aug 19, 2022)

This is the one I think of when I hear the name Guy Clark. A local radio station has always played his music, still does. It's great stuff!

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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