| Country Willie: His Own Songs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1965 | |||
| Studio | RCA Victor Studios, Nashville, Tennessee | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 24:27 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Producer | Chet Atkins | |||
| Willie Nelson chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Record Mirror |  [2] |
Country Willie: His Own Songs is the third studio album by country singer Willie Nelson. This was Nelson's third album, his first for RCA Victor.
Liberty released Nelson’s first two albums, ...And Then I Wrote and Here’s Willie Nelson, in 1962 and 1963 respectively, after country stars like Faron Young, Billy Walker, and Patsy Cline had scored huge hits with his songs. However, these albums bore little resemblance to the ones he would later become famous for, as they were augmented with the lush instrumentation that was typical of the Nashville sound. “The critical praise was strong,” Nelson later remembered, “but the public’s reception remained lukewarm. It was my live performances...that helped me cultivate a small but loyal following.” [3] With the arrival of The Beatles in 1963, Liberty abandoned their country division and, after a stint as a pig farmer in Ridgetop, Tennessee, Nelson was signed to RCA by Chet Atkins. Nelson admired Atkins, but also had reservations: “I liked Chet. I had great respect for his hit-making history and, of course, his own masterful musicianship. I had a feeling, though, that like so many others on Music Row, Chet saw me as an outsider writing outsider songs and singing in an outsider style. For all practical purposes, Chet was the ultimate Nashville insider.” [4]
Atkins and Nelson first worked together on the Christmas single “Pretty Paper” in November 1964, and in January and April 1965 recorded sessions that made up the bulk of Country Willie: His Own Songs. [5] It contains remakes of his best known compositions up to that time, such as “Night Life” and “Funny How Time Slips Away,” as well as newer songs like "Healing Hands of Time." Nelson later said of "One Day at a Time" and "It Should Be Easier Now," "These are songs of a very personal nature, but everyone can apply them to their own situation." [6] Nelson biographer Joe Nick Potoski observes:
In his 2015 memoir, Nelson said of the LP:
In 1975, a similarly-titled compilation album was released on United Artists. Titled simply Country Willie, it was a collection of B-sides and album tracks from Nelson's tenure at Liberty Records.
AllMusic writes, "While some of these tunes showed up in their original versions on the United Artist album Best of Willie Nelson, this is still worth tracking down.” Nelson biographer Joe Nick Potoski notes, “Sales were puny, the one exception being Texas, where the album solidified Willie’s standing as a genuine Nashville star, one sure way to sell tickets to a show.” [7]
All tracks composed by Willie Nelson; except where noted.
Red Headed Stranger is the eighteenth studio album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1975. Following the success of his recordings with Atlantic Records, coupled with the negotiating skills of his manager, Neil Reshen, Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records, the label that gave him total creative control over his works. The concept for the album was inspired by the "Tale of the Red Headed Stranger", a song that Nelson used to play as a disc jockey on his program in Fort Worth, Texas. After signing with Columbia, he decided to record the song, and arranged the details during his return to Austin, Texas, from a trip to Colorado. It was recorded at low cost at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland, Texas. The songs featured sparse arrangements, largely limited to Nelson's guitar, piano, and drums. Nelson presented the finished material to Columbia executives, who were dubious about releasing an album that they at first thought was a demo. However, Nelson had creative control, so no further production was added.
"Crazy" is a song written by Willie Nelson and popularized by country singer Patsy Cline in 1961. Nelson wrote the song while living in Houston, working for Pappy Daily's label D Records. He was also a radio DJ and performed in clubs. Nelson then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, working as a writer for Pamper Music. Through Hank Cochran, the song reached Patsy Cline. After her original recording and release, Cline's version reached number two on Billboard's Hot Country Singles, also crossing to the pop chart as a top 10 single.
Shotgun Willie is the 16th studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, released on June 11, 1973. The recording marks a change of style for Nelson, who later stated that the album "cleared his throat". When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA Records in 1972, the label decided not to release any further recordings. Nelson hired Neil Reshen as his manager, and while Reshen negotiated with RCA, Nelson moved to Austin, Texas, where the ongoing hippie music scene at the Armadillo World Headquarters renewed his musical style. In Nashville, Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler, vice president of Atlantic Records, who was interested in his music. Reshen solved the problems with RCA and signed Nelson with Atlantic as their first country music artist.
Phases and Stages is the 17th studio album by American country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, released in March 1974. It followed the moderate success of his first Atlantic Records release, Shotgun Willie. Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler at a party where Nelson sang songs from an album he planned to record. The single "Phases and Stages" was originally recorded the same year. Nelson recorded the album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in two days and Wexler produced it.
The Words Don't Fit the Picture is the 14th studio album by country singer Willie Nelson.
Yesterday's Wine is the 13th studio album and a concept album by country singer Willie Nelson. Nelson had been recording for RCA Victor since the early 1960s, and had released no significant hit records. By 1970, his recordings had reached mid-chart positions. Nelson lost the money he made from his song-writing royalties by financing concert tours that were generally unsuccessful and unprofitable. In addition to problems with his music career, Nelson had a troubled personal life. He had divorced his wife, Shirley Collie, and his Tennessee ranch had been destroyed by a fire.
Laying My Burdens Down is the 11th studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, released in late 1970.
Both Sides Now is the tenth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1970.
My Own Peculiar Way is the ninth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson. It was his last release in the 1960s. Bergen White was the conductor and arranger. This became Willie's first studio album in which he used his new classical acoustic guitar called Martin N-20 that he named "Trigger".
Good Times is the eighth studio album by American country music singer Willie Nelson, released in 1968. Arrangements were by Anita Kerr, Bill Walker and Ray Stevens.
Texas in My Soul is the seventh studio album by country singer Willie Nelson. It was an early concept album that aimed to pay tribute to the State of Texas. The original album artwork features the Alamo, along with three San Antonio construction projects completed in 1968: the Tower of the Americas, HemisFair Arena and the HemisFair monorail system.
The Party's Over and Other Great Willie Nelson Songs is the sixth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson.
Make Way for Willie Nelson is the fifth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson.
Country Favorites – Willie Nelson Style is the fourth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson. He recorded it with Ernest Tubb's band, the Texas Troubadours and Western Swing fiddler-vocalist Wade Ray with studio musicians Jimmy Wilkerson and Hargus "Pig" Robbins. At the time of the recording, Nelson was a regular on a syndicated TV show hosted by Tubb.
...And Then I Wrote is the debut studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, recorded during August and September 1962 and released through Liberty Records.
Country Music Concert is a 1966 live album by country singer Willie Nelson.
"Mr. Record Man" is a song written by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. After writing the song, Nelson moved to Houston, Texas, where due to his financial issues, tried to sell it to Larry Butler. Butler, who rejected to buy the song, employed Nelson instead. After his original songs turned into hits for other artists, Nelson was signed as a recording artist by Liberty Records.
"Touch Me" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. Leveraged by the success of his songs, Nelson moved to Nashville in 1960. Through songwriter Harlan Howard, Nelson was signed to write for Pamper Music, and to a recording contract with Liberty Records.
"The Party's Over" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson during the mid-1950s. After arriving in Houston, Texas, Nelson was hired to play for the Esquire Ballroom band, where he would be allowed to close the shows singing the song. Guitar instructor and Nelson's friend Paul Buskirk forwarded the song to singer Claude Gray, who recorded the original version of the song, released as "My Party's Over" in 1959.
"I Never Cared For You" is a song written by country music singer Willie Nelson. Nelson recorded the song during his stint with Monument Records, and eventually became his only single released by the label.
