I’ve been playing hard to get for Mr. Willie Nelson for years now. He first started wooing me with his 1998 VH1 Storytellers with Johnny Cash. (Remember when Willie broke a string or something and he had to borrow Johnny’s guitar, and Johnny cracked that it was the first time his six-string had actually ever been played? Good times.) So I bought some cheap compilations and got to know Willie a little better. I warmed to him when I realized his versions of "Always on My Mind" and "Funny How Time Slips Away" are the ones I actually believe. (Sorry, Elvis.)
Then, last weekend, I’m sitting in Starbucks killing time and they’re playing the Natural Renegade retrospective album that I’ve been trying to decide whether or not I could be seen buying there. (Why do I feel embarrassed to buy an album there when the artists they sell are well-respected?) It was Willie’s rendition of "Unchained Melody," oddly enough, that sealed the deal. (Listen here, I could only find it on YouTube, as the soundtrack to a slideshow of a college theater production.) I’d venture to say it’s one of Willie’s finer vocal performances, and that if you, like me, didn’t think you’d ever need to hear that song again (let alone by someone other than the Righteous Brothers), you’ll soon change your mind.
So, which classic Willie albums do I need to invest in now? How do you feel about buying CDs at Starbucks? And what older artists have you only recently begun to fully appreciate?
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RED HEADED STRANGER- it’s the best CD I own.
Delta is right! Also, check out “The Sound In Your Mind” and listening to”Willie and Family Live” is always a good time. And you’re right about buying CDs at Starbucks.
Delta is correct; Red Headed Stranger is by far the best. Also, Greatest Hits & Some That Will Be is a much better compilation than the Starbucks one. Take it from someone who’s seen Willie at least a dozen times.
If you want an album recording of his “Unchained Melody”, it’s on one of the 9-11 live tributes– the one they showed on all the tv channels. And yeah, it’s good.
Yeah, “Red Headed Stranger” is one of the best albums ever recorded. Seriously.
The best Willie albums are “Stardust” and “Teatro”. Also, find a copy of Willie doing “City of New Orlenas”. It’s better than the Arlo Guthrie version
I don’t like country music, but I do like Willie (we redheads have to stick together!). And the only CD I’ve bought at Starbucks was Macca’s new album, and that was only so I could buy it really early in the AM so I could listen to it on my way to work.
You definitely need “Stardust”…one of the best albums ever, and I don’t even listen to country music. Another good is the one he does with Leon Russell (who is a great solo artist)…only the name escapes me at the moment. Any fellow pop-watchers know which one I am referring to….?
The duet album with Leon Russell is called “One for the Road” and features a pretty amazig version of “Heartbreak Hotel”
I don’t know much about Willie Nelson. I’ve always liked him, but I mostly just listened to him on the mix tapes, and later on, mix cds, that my dad has made me.
But I do like this idea of talking about older artists that we are only just now discovering. For some reason I only ever heard Jeff Buckley about a year ago. And I never learned to appreciate Cream until very recently.
I buy cds at Starbucks, and have been pleased.
Stardust is the best my dad and I danced to Blue Skies at my wedding. Good Times.
I saw a really great documentary on PBS about Willie Nelson. I’ve always liked him, but that was it. I’m a lot more interested now. I recommend his iTunes Original session. I also rather like his single “Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Into Each Other.”
I would say that Johnny Cash, Tony Bennett, Frank Sintra, and Nat King Cole are artists I ‘discovered’ recently. I grew up in the 80’s and all of that music seemed old fashioned. Now that I am a bit more, um ,’mature’ I like it a lot. I listen to the Sinatra station on Sirius radio quite a bit.
I’ve been a huge fan of Willie Nelson for years. He transcends “country” music. His distinctive guitar playing and singing just move me – and he just seems like an incredible person, to boot. I’m glad you’ve finally succumbed!
I love Elvis with a passion, but certain songs are meant to be simple. “Always On My Mind” is one of those. Willie’s is superior because he gets the emotion and the sentiment.
You must MUST must have “Red Headed Stranger” and “Stardust”…
All of us in Austin are issued these when we move here, and they are the best of his best…truly…
Red Headed Stranger has my favorite Willie song: Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain. After that one, my favorite Willie albums have come in the last 10 years or so. Spirit is a close second, and I’m a big fan of It Always Will Be. You Don’t Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker is also excellent.
We mainlined a lot of Johnny and June Carter Cash between the time that the Carter family book came out and ‘Walk the Line’ was made. I still listen to ‘American IV: The Man Comes Around’ and June’s ‘Press On’ all the time.
I’m one of a secret society that actually paid to see Honeysuckle Rose in the theater because of Willie. I agree with Eric that “Greatest Hits and Some That Will Be” is the best compilation.
I had a greatest hits cassette (not sure which one) and when that bit the dust after all the play, I picked up “The Very Best of Willie Nelson” on CD. I can’t vouch that it’s the greatest compilation, but I love listening to it (2 discs’ worth) pretty much straight through. My all time favorite song has to be “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” – kills me every time!
Stardust, Redheaded stranger, Teatro, in no particular order of greatness. Then give yourself a treat and buy Willie and Family Live. He’s made a zillion other albums, but if you get those three plus WAFL, it’s an adequate sampling of this master of several musical genres.
Absolutely Red Headed Stranger and Stardust. Also Nite Life, a collection of early material released by Rhino; the Complete Atlantic Sessions; and the wonderful Night and Day, a jazz instrumental album that serves as a tribute to Django Reinhardt.
Stardust is definitely one of the best…love his covers of Georgia on My Mind and especially, September Song – WOW!
“Tougher than Leather” and “Red-headed Stranger”
I work at Starbucks and I feel the same guilt, despite getting a decent 30% discount on the CDs there. The sad fact is that when I listen to an album I can hear at work, it will always remind me of being at work, which sucks. I’m probably going to buy that Willie Nelson album anyway, though…