Blaze Foley (1949–1989) was an American singer-songwriter and cult figure of the Austin, Texas scene, a close friend of Townes Van Zandt whose songs were covered by Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, and John Prine. Nearly everything came out posthumously — start with Live at the Austin Outhouse. Browse Blaze Foley vinyl, CDs, and posthumous releases at Wax Trax Records.
Michael David Fuller, who took the stage name Blaze Foley, was born in Malvern, Arkansas on December 18, 1949. He was a fixture of the Austin, Texas singer-songwriter scene from the late 1970s through the 1980s and a close friend of Townes Van Zandt. Foley was shot and killed in Austin on February 1, 1989. His recordings were largely unreleased during his lifetime, with much of his catalog issued posthumously through Lost Art Records. Ethan Hawke directed the 2018 biographical film Blaze.
Blaze Foley's recordings center on acoustic guitar and voice in the Texas singer-songwriter tradition, drawing on country, folk, blues, and outlaw country influences. His songs (including If I Could Only Fly, later recorded by Merle Haggard) have been covered by Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, John Prine, and others.
Lost Art Records pressings of the Blaze Foley catalog are the primary physical releases.
Listeners new to Blaze Foley typically start with the compilation Sittin' By the Road or Live at the Austin Outhouse.
