The Night Billy Joe Shaver Handed Me His Phone Number

Some nights in Austin felt like the stars themselves, were lining up just right.

It was one of those magical evenings when word had gotten around that “the girl with the accordion” was playing a strong set of train songs. Billy Joe Shaver — the legendary outlaw country poet himself — walked in with a couple of friends. Calvin Russell had told him, “You gotta hear Debra Peters play ‘Train Whistle Blues.’”

I recognized Billy Joe the second he entered the room. He was like a magnet to me and it was an honor to play some music for him! I was deep in the music, squeezing out that lonesome train whistle on the accordion while Spencer Jarmon tore up the guitar behind me. The rhythm section was locked in tight, and the whole room was swaying.

After the set, Billy Joe came straight up to the stage.

That gravelly voice and those kind eyes looked right at me and said, “Come on over and join us! Girl, you got it.” Then, at one point during the exciting visit, Billy Joe reached into his pocket, scribbled his personal phone number in Nashville, on a piece of paper, and handed it to me. “Call me anytime. We need to do something together.”

I was speechless.

Calvin Russell was the cool local songwriting star that brought Billy Joe over to the Spoke that night. He’d come over specifically to hear us because he’d heard about my “killer guitarist.” After the show he pulled Spencer Jarmon aside and offered him a gig touring France. Just like that — one strong night of music opened doors for both of us.

Billy Joe Shaver, Jesse Taylor on guitar, and me on accordion

Not long after meeting Billy Joe, I got to live out that promise. We played a special trio gig together — Billy Joe Shaver, Jesse Taylor on guitar, and me on accordion — at Paul Landers place, Grizwalds Restaurant in south Austin. A historic outdoor stage, good food, great people, and real Texas music floating through the night air. I’ll never forget how natural it felt standing beside one of Texas’s greatest songwriters, letting the accordion sing harmony with his stories.

That whole chapter taught me something I still carry with me

Real music opens doors. It connects souls. One honest set, played with heart, can lead to phone numbers on scraps of paper and gigs in France. Unforgettable nights you will remember forever. When I pick up the accordion now, I still hear that lonesome train whistle and Billy Joe’s voice saying, “Girl, you got it.”

Have you ever had a night where music opened an unexpected door for you? Tell me about it in an email — I love reading your stories.

If these tales make you want to learn how to play with that same fire, head over to my Lessons page. Digital download of my teaching DVDs are NOW AVAILABLE here. Blues Accordion & Chops