Musicians, celebs honor Billy Joe Shaver on 65th birthday

AUSTIN, TX. (Compadre Records) - Billy Joe Shaver, on the eve of the release of his new album Billy and the Kid, celebrated his 65th birthday in Austin with a show billed as the Billy Joe Shaver Birthday Bash at the city's Paramount Theater.

Friends who paid tribute to Shaver included Guy Clark, Todd Snider, Bruce Robison with Kelly Wills, Jack Ingram, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, Kinky Friedman, Robert Duvall with fiancee (and Shaver documentarian) Luciana Pedraza, Jack Ingram, Dale Watson, Shooter Jennings, Rodney Hayden and more.
According to Shaver, "This was the best night ever in my life."

In honor of this celebration, Compadre Records declared a one-week-early street date for Austin fans, with the album in stores on August 17. The rest of the nation will have it in-store next Tuesday, August 24.
Proceeds from the Shaver tribute were donated to benefit the University of Texas M.D. Cancer Center.

The new album contains unfinished tracks by Billy's late son, Eddy Shaver, which Billy completed with "visits and instructions from Eddy.
Shaver will tour heavily through the holidays, including a stop at the Americana Music Association conference in Nashville in September.