A Beautiful Time

Last updated
A Beautiful Time
Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time cover.png
Studio album by
Willie Nelson
ReleasedApril 29, 2022
Studio
  • The Tracking Room (Nashville)
  • East Iris (Nashville)
  • Blackbird (Nashville)
  • Pedernales (Austin)
  • Sound Emporium (Nashville)
Genre Country
Length49:19
Label Legacy Recordings
Producer Buddy Cannon
Willie Nelson chronology
The Willie Nelson Family
(2021)		A Beautiful Time
(2022)		 I Don't Know a Thing About Love
(2023)

A Beautiful Time is the 72nd solo studio album by Willie Nelson, released on April 29, 2022, on his 89th birthday. Produced by Buddy Cannon, the album includes original songs by Nelson, as well as covers of the Beatles and Leonard Cohen. [1]

Contents

On February 10, 2022, Nelson released the single "I'll Love You Till the Day I Die" a song written by Chris Stapleton and Rodney Crowell. [2]

A Beautiful Time won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards while Crowell and Stapleton's lead single "I'll Love You Till the Day I Die" was a nominee in the Best Country Song category at the same awards. [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 84/100 [4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
And It Don't Stop A [6]
The Arts Desk Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [7]

A Beautiful Time received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a score of 84 out of 100 based on four reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [4]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic praised the record's "earned wisdom and wry humor", concluding that "it's still a marvel to hear him find sustenance and surprises within his music". [5] Liz Thomson of The Arts Desk called the album "classic Nelson" [7] while No Depression , though acknowledging that the remote recording meant that the musicians performed without "other players to bounce off", praised Nelson's vocals and guitar playing and gave their verdict that it "is a delightful album from beginning to end". [8] Veteran critic Robert Christgau ranked it as the fourth best album of 2022. [9]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I'll Love You Till the Day I Die"
4:11
2."My Heart Was a Dancer"
3:11
3."Energy Follows Thought"
  • Nelson
  • Cannon
3:18
4."Dreamin' Again"
  • Jack Wesley Routh
  • Douglas Graham
3:57
5."I Don't Go to Funerals"
  • Nelson
  • Cannon
2:27
6."A Beautiful Time" Shawn Camp 4:57
7."We're Not Happy (Till You're Not Happy)"
  • Camp
  • Charles R. Humphrey III
3:17
8."Dusty Bottles"
3:31
9."Me and My Partner"Ken Lambert2:12
10."Tower of Song" Leonard Cohen 5:00
11."Live Every Day"
  • Nelson
  • Cannon
3:12
12."Don't Touch Me There"
  • Nelson
  • Cannon
2:38
13."With a Little Help from My Friends"
3:43
14."Leave You with a Smile"
  • Cannon
  • Bobby Terry
  • Matt Rossi
3:42
Total length:49:19

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for A Beautiful Time
Chart (2022)Peak
position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA) [10] 8
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [11] 49
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [12] 100
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [13] 74
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [14] 44
Scottish Albums (OCC) [15] 14
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [16] 19
UK Country Albums (OCC) [17] 2
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [18] 26
US Billboard 200 [19] 100
US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [20] 13

Related Research Articles

<i>461 Ocean Boulevard</i> 1974 studio album by Eric Clapton

461 Ocean Boulevard is the second solo studio album by English musician Eric Clapton. It was released in late July 1974 by RSO Records, after the record company released the hit single "I Shot the Sheriff" earlier in the month. The album topped various international charts and sold more than two million copies.

<i>Big Willie Style</i> 1997 studio album by Will Smith

Big Willie Style is the debut solo album by American rapper and actor Will Smith. It was released on November 25, 1997, by Columbia Records. The album was primarily produced by Poke & Tone, with other contributors including L.E.S. and Smith's former collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff. The album was the first to be released by Smith since 1993's Code Red, the last by the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Five singles were released, including Smith's first US Billboard Hot 100 number one, "Gettin' Jiggy wit It".

<i>Stardust</i> (Willie Nelson album) 1978 studio album by Willie Nelson

Stardust is the 22nd studio album by Willie Nelson, released in April 1978. Its ten songs consist entirely of pop standards that Nelson picked from among his favorites. Nelson asked Booker T. Jones, who was his neighbor in Malibu at the time, to arrange a version of "Moonlight in Vermont". Impressed with Jones's work, Nelson asked him to produce the entire album. Nelson's decision to record such well-known tracks was controversial among Columbia executives because he had distinguished himself in the outlaw country genre. Recording the album took only ten days.

<i>The Little Willies</i> (album) 2006 studio album by The Little Willies

The Little Willies is the self-titled debut album by The Little Willies. The album was released after band member Norah Jones had achieved international stardom as a solo artist.

<i>American Classic</i> 2009 studio album by Willie Nelson

American Classic is the 57th studio album by American country music artist Willie Nelson, released on August 25, 2009. It focuses on the American popular songbook and standard jazz classics, and includes guest appearances by Norah Jones and Diana Krall.

<i>Heroes</i> (Willie Nelson album) 2012 studio album by Willie Nelson

Heroes is the 60th studio album by American country music singer Willie Nelson, released by Legacy Recordings on May 15, 2012. Produced by Buddy Cannon, the album contains classic country songs, new songs written by Nelson and his son Lukas, and the classic song from Nelson's repertoire, "A Horse Called Music". Guest appearances include Lukas Nelson, Ray Price, Merle Haggard, Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson, Jamey Johnson, Billy Joe Shaver, and Sheryl Crow.

<i>Old Yellow Moon</i> 2013 studio album by Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell

Old Yellow Moon is a collaborative album by American country music singer-songerwriters Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, released on February 26, 2013 in the United States by Nonesuch Records. It is the twenty-seventh and fourteenth studio album for Harris and Crowell, respectively, as well as Harris's fifth album for Nonesuch Records. The duo followed up this collaboration with The Traveling Kind two years later.

<i>Montevallo</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Sam Hunt

Montevallo is the debut studio album by American country music singer Sam Hunt. It was released on October 27, 2014, by MCA Nashville. Hunt co-wrote all 10 tracks on the album. The album was produced by Zach Crowell and Shane McAnally. "Cop Car" was previously recorded by Keith Urban on his eighth studio album Fuse, who released it as a single in January 2014.

<i>Django and Jimmie</i> 2015 studio album by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard

Django and Jimmie is the sixth and final collaborative studio album by American country music artists Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. It was released on June 2, 2015, by Legacy Recordings. The album was Haggard's final studio album prior to his death of pneumonia in April 2016, 10 months after its release.

<i>Storyteller</i> (Carrie Underwood album) 2015 studio album by Carrie Underwood

Storyteller is the fifth studio album recorded by American singer and songwriter Carrie Underwood. It was released on October 23, 2015, by Sony Music Nashville. Following the release and success of her fourth studio album, Blown Away (2012), Underwood began working on Storyteller in early 2014. However, she tentatively suspended most work on the album because of her pregnancy with her first child. In the midterm, Underwood released her first greatest hits record, Greatest Hits: Decade #1, on December 9, 2014, to much success. After the birth of her son, she took some additional time off before going back into the studio in early 2015 to finish working on the album.

<i>Full Circle</i> (Loretta Lynn album) 2016 studio album by Loretta Lynn

Full Circle is the forty-third solo studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn. It was released on March 4, 2016, by Sony Legacy. It was produced by Lynn's daughter, Patsy Lynn Russell, and John Carter Cash, the son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The album became Lynn's 40th album to reach the top ten of the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart and her career peak on the US Billboard 200, debuting at number 19. The album received a nomination for Best Country Album at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>Gods Problem Child</i> 2017 studio album by Willie Nelson

God's Problem Child is the 66th solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. It was released on April 28, 2017, by Legacy Recordings. The album features new songs co-written by Nelson and producer Buddy Cannon. Using their frequent method, Cannon and Nelson wrote the songs exchanging the lyrics in text messages, while Nelson later recorded his vocals in the studio.

<i>From A Room: Volume 1</i> 2017 studio album by Chris Stapleton

From A Room: Volume 1 is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, released on May 5, 2017 through Mercury Nashville. Primarily a country, blues, and roots rock record, it was produced by Dave Cobb and Stapleton.

<i>Last Man Standing</i> (Willie Nelson album) 2018 studio album by Willie Nelson

Last Man Standing is the 67th solo studio album by Willie Nelson. It was released on April 27, 2018, by Legacy Recordings.

<i>My Way</i> (Willie Nelson album) 2018 studio album by Willie Nelson

My Way is the 68th solo studio album by Willie Nelson. It was released on September 14, 2018, by Legacy Recordings. The album is a tribute to Frank Sinatra, who was a close friend of Nelson's. The album received the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, marking Nelson's 13th career Grammy win.

<i>First Rose of Spring</i> 2020 studio album by Willie Nelson

First Rose of Spring is the 70th solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. It was released on July 3, 2020, by Legacy Recordings. The album was produced by Buddy Cannon. The album was originally scheduled to be released on April 24, but was pushed back to July 3 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<i>Starting Over</i> (Chris Stapleton album) 2020 studio album by Chris Stapleton

Starting Over is the fourth studio album by American musician Chris Stapleton. The album was released on November 13, 2020, by Mercury Nashville. At the 64th Grammy Awards it won the award for Best Country Album.

<i>Thats Life</i> (Willie Nelson album) 2021 studio album by Willie Nelson

That's Life is the 71st solo studio album by Willie Nelson. It was released on February 26, 2021, by Legacy Recordings. A tribute to Frank Sinatra, it represents the second volume of Nelson's Sinatra collection, following 2018's My Way.

<i>Barn</i> (album) 2021 studio album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Barn is the 41st studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young and his 14th with American rock band Crazy Horse. The album was released on December 10, 2021, by Reprise Records. A stand-alone film of the same name directed by Young's wife Daryl Hannah was also released for streaming and on Blu-ray.

<i>Bluegrass</i> (album) 2023 studio album by Willie Nelson

Bluegrass is the 74th solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, released on September 15, 2023 through Legacy Recordings. Produced by Buddy Cannon, the album is Nelson's first full album of bluegrass music and contains twelve reinterpretations of songs from Nelson's back catalogue. In an interview with AARP, Nelson revealed that this is the first album since the acquisition of Trigger where he did not record with his signature guitar. The album's lead single, a new version of the song "You Left Me a Long, Long Time Ago" that opened Nelson's 1972 album The Willie Way, was released on June 22, 2023. The album is a nominee for the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.

References

  1. ↑ Corcoran, Nina (February 10, 2022). "Willie Nelson Announces New Album A Beautiful Time, Shares New Song "I'll Love You Till the Day I Die": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ Hudak, Joseph (February 10, 2022). "Willie Nelson Records Songs by Chris Stapleton, the Beatles for New Album 'A Beautiful Time'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  3. ↑ "2023 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Complete Nominees List". Grammy.com. November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "A Beautiful Time by Willie Nelson". Metacritic. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "A Beautiful Time - Willie Nelson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  6. ↑ Christgau, Robert (May 11, 2022). "Consumer Guide: May, 2022" . And It Don't Stop. Substack . Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Thomson, Liz (27 April 2022). "Album: Willie Nelson - A Beautiful Time". The Arts Desk. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  8. ↑ Heselgrave, Doug. "ALBUM REVIEW: Humor and Humanity Run Through Willie Nelson's 'A Beautiful Time'". No Depression. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
  9. ↑ Christgau, Robert (January 25, 2023). "Dean's List: 2022" . And It Don't Stop. Substack. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 40 Country Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 9, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Willie Nelson – A Beautiful Time". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Willie Nelson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Willie Nelson Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.