How Fishing Saved Townes Van Zandt’s Son

Fatherhood has been the topic explored recently by Yeti in their new series "My Old Man". These five episodes show powerful examples of fatherhood, and what it means to sculpt a young life. In episode four, the son of legendary singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt discusses his father and how nature filled in for much of his absence.

Explaining that his father, "was the happiest when he was the most unhappy." This may have been the mindset needed to write truly great, painful music, but to be a nurturing father, less so.  

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What was interesting to me as a fan of Van Zandt's music is the pride his son has in his father's work. "If his songs sucked, it might have been all for nothing, but he wrote some great American literature", JT told the camera. "Every lesson that my dad taught me was either how to do it, or how not to do it." 

What the son found solace in was fishing. It was the first time he could be completely consumed by something, any other distractions left his mind. Now with a son of his own, he uses the lessons of his own father to shape this young life.