#1 · 1968
Van Zandt’s debut studio album presenting stark acoustic folk and country, featuring the iconic track 'Waitin' Around To Die'.
11 tracksStereoOriginal Poppy label1968 release
Artist page · 04/07/2026
Townes Van Zandt
Townes Van Zandt, born in 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas, was an American country and folk singer-songwriter known for his poetic lyricism and profound influence on Americana music. His career spanned from the late 1960s until his death in 1997, with a catalog blending melancholic storytelling and traditional folk sounds.
13Albums on Vinyles.com
492Discogs releases
751kLast.fm listeners
About
Townes Van Zandt, Deep Texas roots shaping alternative country and folk landscapes.
Four key albums with multiple reissues, live recordings prized, and limited pressings tracked in real-time.
Townes Van Zandt's catalog features 14 vinyl releases across Alternative Country, Americana, and Country/Folk genres. His work is characterized by intimate, narrative-driven songwriting that has garnered a dedicated following among collectors and audiophiles alike. His albums, originally released on various labels such as Poppy, Tomato, and Fat Possum Records, have seen numerous high-quality reissues and limited editions, often accompanied by detailed pressings information.
Vinyl enthusiasts appreciate Van Zandt’s live recordings, most notably 'Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas' (1977), which commands high prices due to its rarity and emotional depth.
Discography
Townes Van Zandt — Discography
Studio albums, EPs and notable live records, from newest to oldest. Drag the timeline to browse.
Chicken Ranch Records · 2020Somebody Had To Write It
Studio
Fat Possum Records · 2019Sky Blue
Studio
Varèse Vintage · 2004Rear View Mirror, Volume Two
Studio
Compadre Records · 2003In The Beginning...
Studio
Normal · 2002Absolutely Nothing
Studio
Tomato · 2001Texas Rain (The Texas Hill Country Recordings)
Studio
Arista Austin · 1999A Far Cry From Dead
Studio
Normal · 1999In Pain
Studio
Normal · 1997Documentary
Studio
Normal · 1997Highway Kind
Studio
Return To Sender · 1996Abnormal
Studio
Veracity · 1994No Deeper Blue
Studio
Sundown · 1993Rear View Mirror
Studio
Tomato · 1993The Nashville Sessions
Studio
Universe Productions · 1992Roadsongs
Studio
Exile Records · 1991Rain On A Conga Drum - Live In Berlin
Live
Sugar Hill Records · 1987At My Window
Studio
Heartland Records · 1987Live & Obscure
Studio
Tomato · 1978Flyin' Shoes
Studio
Tomato · 1977Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
Live
Poppy · 1972High, Low And In Between
Studio
Poppy · 1972The Late Great Townes Van Zandt
Studio
Poppy · 1971Delta Momma Blues
Studio
Poppy · 1969Our Mother The Mountain
Studio
Poppy · 1969Townes Van Zandt
Studio
Poppy · 1968For The Sake Of The Song
Studio
Studio album
Live / EP
Playlist
Signature tracks
The tracks that sum up Townes Van Zandt's career.
01
Waiting Around To Die
·
02
I'll Be Here In the Morning
Somebody Had To Write It · 2020
03
Lungs
·
04
If I Needed You
Somebody Had To Write It · 2020
05
For The Sake of The Song
For The Sake Of The Song · 1968
06
Poncho & Lefty
·
07
Dead Flowers
·
08
Fare Thee Well, Miss Carousel
·
The essentials
The 3 Townes Van Zandt albums you absolutely need
Our pick, validated by the editorial team.
#2 · 1969
Rich in poetic storytelling and folk rock elements, this album highlights Van Zandt’s lyrical depth and melodic roots.
11 tracksMultiple pressingsPoppy label1969 release
#3 · 1977
A sought-after live album capturing a raw, intimate performance that has become a prized collectible for fans.
27 tracksLive recordingTomato labelMultiple pressings
Go further
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Artists who share part of Townes Van Zandt's musical DNA.
Collectors
For vinyl die-hards
The hidden side of the catalogue: rare pressings, sought-after matrices, Discogs values.
Market values (source: Discogs)
For each reference edition, these cards summarise the state of the global Discogs market. Market position places the average price of a copy between the observed min and max prices. Average price is the price seen for a mint-condition copy. Copies available counts listings currently for sale. Collectors who want it is the number of Discogs users who added it to their wantlist without owning it — a good signal of upcoming demand.
A Far Cry From Dead
Market position
i
Min price 17 €Max price 43 €
Average price
17,40 €
Only 28 copies for sale on Discogs
44 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
No Deeper Blue
Market position
i
Min price 17 €Max price 23 €
Average price
20,44 €
Only 33 copies for sale on Discogs
48 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
Market position
i
Min price 125 €Max price 174 €
Average price
149,47 €
Only 12 copies for sale on Discogs
1 373 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Our Mother The Mountain
Market position
i
Min price 130 €Max price 250 €
Average price
162,39 €
Only 5 copies for sale on Discogs
1 681 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
For The Sake Of The Song
Market position
i
Min price 35 €Max price 104 €
Average price
78,30 €
Only 15 copies for sale on Discogs
1 489 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Somebody Had To Write It
Market position
i
Min price 30 €Max price 217 €
Average price
47,84 €
Only 4 copies for sale on Discogs
115 collectors want it (Discogs wantlist)
Notable pressings & editions
i
The “Why this rarity” column comes from our upstream sourcing work: for each album, we explain what makes this pressing sought after by collectors (limited run, specific matrix, withdrawn edition…).
Face B
Side B: the hidden stories of Townes Van Zandt
Studio secrets, touring anecdotes and B-sides worth the whole album.
"Waitin' Around To Die" builds emotional weight by relentlessly repeating its words to form a landscape of despair.— Townes Van Zandt's songwriting style
01Studio Album
For The Sake Of The Song (1968)
Van Zandt’s first album featured 11 tracks including 'Waitin' Around To Die', a song built on repeating words to evoke profound sadness.
02Live Recording
Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas (1977)
This live album consists of 27 tracks and has 8 pressing variants, including original and promotional editions on Tomato Records, highly valued by collectors.
03Releases
No Deeper Blue (1994) Reissues
The 'No Deeper Blue' album, originally a 1994 studio release, sees modern reissues in 2024 with limited editions offering stereo sound on Fat Possum Records.
04Pressing
Original Canadian pressing of 'Our Mother The Mountain'
The original Canadian pressing with catalog number PYS 40004 has a high collector's demand with no copies currently for sale and a want/have ratio of 2.5:1.
Records by Townes Van Zandt
See all
FAQ
FAQ: Townes Van Zandt on physical formats
The most common questions about pressings, reissues and limited editions.
What genres does Townes Van Zandt's vinyl catalog mainly cover?
His catalog primarily spans Alternative Country, Americana, and Country/Folk, blending poetic lyrics with traditional folk sounds.
Which albums by Townes Van Zandt are considered essential vinyl releases?
'For The Sake Of The Song', 'Our Mother The Mountain', and 'Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas' are key albums with original and important reissues.
Are there notable live albums by Townes Van Zandt available on vinyl?
Yes, 'Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas' from 1977 is a highly regarded live vinyl with multiple pressings.
Where can collectors find detailed pressing information for Townes Van Zandt's vinyls?
Pressing details are tracked per release, noting labels, catalog numbers, pressing origin, and current market prices.
Are Townes Van Zandt's vinyl records expensive on the collector market in France?
Certain original pressings, especially limited editions and live albums, tend to command higher prices in the French market.
What is the significance of Townes Van Zandt's connection to Texas in his music?
Texas origins deeply influence the themes and sound, prominently reflected in recordings made in Houston and his lyrical imagery.
Can newcomers to vinyl easily explore Townes Van Zandt's music?
Yes, recent reissues and remastered vinyl editions make his work accessible to beginners and seasoned collectors.
How have Townes Van Zandt's songs influenced other artists?
Many artists have covered his songs, including Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson, increasing the appreciation of his songwriting legacy.
Transparency
Sources & method
This page is compiled by the vinyles.com editorial team from public sources and our marketplace.
Our method
- Discographic data from MusicBrainz (dates, countries, activity period).
- Tracklists, artwork and genres retrieved via Discogs Masters.
- Values (low / median / high) and stock from the Discogs Marketplace.
- Audience and similar artists via Last.fm.
- Page updated automatically and reviewed by the editorial team.
Last updated: 04/07/2026