Driftin’ Way of Life Bill Hearne and Jerry Jeff Walker have known each other since the late 1960’s, when they were both knocking around the emerging music scene in Austin, Texas, playing in the honky-tonks and gathering both the fans and the experiences that would carry them through their long careers. Back in 2015, Bill was working on an album project, and knew that he wanted to involve as many of his long-time friends and collaborators as he could, and he reached out to Jerry Jeff and asked him if he’d sing on a song. Walker, with his usual trademark generosity, sang on two. One (Dust on My Boots) was included on that 2015 Howlin’ Dog Records release (All That’s Real), and the other has been sitting “in the can” waiting to see the light of day.

Driftin’ Way of Life will be included on Bill’s upcoming 2021 Howlin’ Dog Records album release “A Very Short Time”, but we also wanted to send it out on its own, as Bill does just a killer version of the tune. Plus we know folks will be missing Jerry Jeff, and the vocal interplay on their duet is stellar. JJW takes a verse and scats along with Bill afterward, and it just totally embodies that rambling spirit of the song.

We here at Howlin’ Dog hope you enjoy this great collaboration as much as we have, and we’re excited to send it out to you!

Bill Hearne

Bill Hearne has been playing Americana music since long before the term was coined. Bill began his musical career in 1968 in Austin, Texas, where he met his future wife and long-time playing partner Bonnie Cross Hearne, and bounced around the scene with other artists finding their way like Lyle Lovett, Nancy Griffith, Jerry Jeff Walker and Michael Murphey, who remain life-long friends and collaborators. These and many other artists will cite Bill as influential in their music and careers.

Bill and Bonnie moved to Red River, New Mexico in the late 1970’s, which became a sort of “Austin north”, a place of retreat from the heat for many Texas musicians. They later moved to Santa Fe, where he is based today. Bonnie retired from active performance in 2003 and passed on in late 2017. Bill maintains a busy performance schedule both solo and with his trio.

BILL HEARNE (W/GUEST VOCALIST JERRY JEFF WALKER) -

DRIFTIN’ WAY OF LIFE (SINGLE RELEASE) ADD DATE - 12/7/20

Howlin’ Dog Records is dedicated to getting the music of the southwest out to the world.

www.howlindogrecords.com don@howlindogrecords.com

Bill Hearne (with guest vocalist Jerry Jeff Walker) - Driftin’ Way of Life

Driftin' Way of Life (J.J. Walker, Cotillion Music BMI) - 3:46 ISRC code - QMPVZ2000136

Bill Hearne – acoustic guitar, lead vocal; Jerry Jeff Walker - duet vocals; Michael Hearne – acoustic guitar, Don Richmond – banjo, string bass, drums; Bob Goldstein – harmonica, guitar

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Don Richmond at Howlin’ Dog Records, Alamosa, Colorado Jerry Jeff Walker vocal recorded by Chris Gage at Moonhouse Studio, Austin, Texas

Howlin’ Dog Records

is centered around a hard to define kind of music we call “Southwest Americana” - it’s what happened when the Texas singer-songwriter tradition made the trek “up the flatland stairs” to the high deserts and mountains of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. The infusion of light and thin dry air gives it an evanescent aftertaste that we think you’ll love.