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 Willie Nelson — he of wine, women, weed and tax problems — is a true American original. He might be remembered fondly for these things alone, if not for his exquisite songwriting skills and his rebellious approach to music, which has become the bedrock for various branches of the alt-country movement. Born in the tiny town of Abbott in the heart of Texas, Nelson was picking a guitar by the time he was in elementary school.
Work as a DJ spun him out of Abbott, and then he traveled the country as a troubadour. Years before becoming an acclaimed solo artist, he penned songs for other artists, many of which have become the most memorable in country music ("Crazy," "Hello Walls," "Night Life"). Some of his early albums (especially The Red Headed Stranger and Stardust), and his long partnership with fellow "outlaw" Waylon Jennings, cemented his place as a vital and important contributor to the popular music canon. His songwriting is as socially conscious as it is authentic; his decades of vigorous political activism and concern for social and environmental issues play into this.
Throughout Nelson's prolific career, he's collaborated with a range of adventuresome artists from the worlds of pop, rock, blues and country, and he's taken excursions into reggae, soul and jazz. Now in his 70s, he seems to fit in perfectly at his most recent label, Lost Highway, a welcoming home to the cream of the alt-country crop. In 2008, Moment of Forever paired him with Kenny Chesney, and includes songwriting by Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan and his longtime buddy Kris Kristofferson. In early 2009, Nelson collaborated with Asleep at the Wheel on Willie and the Wheel, a collection of Western swing songs conceptualized by the late Jerry Wexler.
Provenance: Abbott, Texas
Latest release: Willie and the Wheel (with Asleep at the Wheel) (2009)
© 2009 Nigel Music Media LLC. Used by permission.
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