Pancho and Lefty

"Pancho and Lefty" is a song written by country singer and songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Often considered his "most enduring and well-known song," Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Emmylou Harris then covered the song for her 1977 album, Luxury Liner and the song became a number one country hit in 1983 when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson adopted it as the title track of their duet album Pancho & Lefty. Steve Earle performs "Pancho and Lefty" on his 2009 album Townes, which is composed of songs written by Townes Van Zandt, Earle's friend and mentor.