Posted in: Guitar by Fj Lynch on January 30th, 2012 | 0 Comments
A list of some unique gems from Willie Nelson’s long recording career.
With an output as rich and as full as Willie Nelson’s recorded career, it can be hard to know where to start. He has been putting out studio albums, live albums, and collaborations for fifty years. There are countless gems in his discography, but here are nine unique albums essential for a complete and well rounded Willie Nelson collection.
Image via Wikipedia
1. Willie and Family Live.
Recorded live in Lake Tahoe, Nevada in April 1978, Willie and Family Live is a great double album. Willie Nelson and his regular backing band play a great set that includes guests Emmylou Harris and Johnny Paycheck. The feel of a Willie Nelson concert is documented here very well.
2. Teatro.
This 1998 album includes guest vocals from Emmylou Harris, as well as Bobby Nelson and Mickey Raphael, regulars from Willie’s road band. This album has a unique feel in comparison to other studio albums of Willie’s. Opening with a great instrumental that leads right into a great set of songs with a decidedly atmospheric and drum heavy feel.
3. Countryman.
Willie Nelson’s reggae album. Featuring guest vocals from Jamaican legend Toots Hibbert and two classic Jimmy Cliff songs, Countryman is a great blend of Willie’s trademark sound blended with his Jamaican influences.
4. Red Headed Stranger.
Willie Nelson’s great concept album about a man who kills his cheating wife and her lover. This album was a huge hit, although it was a relatively low cost recording with rather sparse arrangements. This album was made into a movie a decade after it’s release.
Image via Wikipedia
5. Night and Day.
The first (and only) entirely instrumental album of Willie’s career, Night and Day has Willie embracing his strong Django Reinhardt influence. A great chance to check out Willie’s guitar skills as well as some of the great musicians he surrounds himself with.
6. Spirit.
With only four players, Spirit has a unique sound among Willie albums. A piano, a fiddle, and a second guitar back Willie on this set. A understated collection that includes several instrumentals.
7. Rainbow Connection.
Originally intended to be a children’s album, Rainbow Connection evolved into a more complete piece about the cycles of life, childhood, adulthood, and old age. this album is a tribute to family, both past and future.
8. VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.
A live album recorded for television. Willie is joined by his contemporary and legend in his own right, Johnny Cash for a set that includes hits from the careers of both men. As great as the performances are, the real gem here is the conversations between songs, as both men trade stories.
9. Two Men With The Blues.
A collaboration with jazz master Wynton Marsalis. This album combines blues and jazz standards with some expert musicianship. The two would collaborate again on Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles, adding singer Norah Jones to the lineup.
