Video: Billy Joe Shaver, Live in Chattanooga

In August 2009, American Songwriter took a young up-and-coming Nashville songwriter named Jonny Fritz, who plays under the moniker Jonny Corndawg, to Chattanooga to interview the 69-year-old songwriting legend Billy Joe Shaver. Fritz had spent the last few months poring over Shaver’s autobiography and discography and talked to Billy during the interview about the loss of his fingers at a young age, and Shaver’s relationship with Waylon Jennings (whose 1973 album Honky Tonk Heroes consisted entirely of Shaver compositions). Videographer Shawn Kornhauser edited the backstage interview and footage from the show at Rhythm and Brews in Chattanooga. Watch the video below.

Billy Joe Shaver plays the Exit/In in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. Jonny Corndawg will open the show.