Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country singer, guitarist and songwriter. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. The critical success of his album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.
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.
Teatro is the 45th studio album by Willie Nelson, released in September 1998 via Island Records. Filmmaker Wim Wenders produced a documentary feature-length film of the recording sessions and live performances.
Spirit is the 44th studio album by country music singer Willie Nelson. The album differs from Nelson's other albums because of the use of fewer instruments and has a more classical/Spanish influence than others. Nelson's sister Bobbie plays piano.
The Sound in Your Mind is the nineteenth studio album by American country music artist Willie Nelson. This was his second album for Columbia Records.
This Is Our God is the seventeenth album in the live praise and worship series of contemporary worship music by Hillsong Church. It was recorded live at the Acer Arena on 9 March 2008 by Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Darlene Zschech, and the Hillsong Live Worship team with a crowd of over 10,000 worshippers. The album opened at No. 2 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart in Australia.
Sings Kristofferson is the 23rd studio album recorded by Willie Nelson in 1979 consisting of all covers of Kris Kristofferson songs. It reached #5 on the US Country albums chart, #42 on the US Pop albums charts, and was certified gold in Canada and platinum in the US.
The Troublemaker is the 20th studio album by country singer and songwriter Willie Nelson. When Nelson refused to sign an early extension of his contract with RCA 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 Records as their first country music artist.
Without a Song is a studio album by the American country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1983. Similar to Stardust (1978), it consists of renditions of traditional pop standards. The album was produced by Booker T. Jones.
Me & Paul is the thirty-second studio album by American country music singer Willie Nelson. The titular Paul, refers to his long-term drummer, Paul English.
A Horse Called Music is a studio album by the country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1989. The album includes Nelson's last number 1 single, "Nothing I Can Do About It Now". "There You Are" peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard country chart.
How Great Thou Art is a collaboration album by country singer Willie Nelson and his sister, Bobbie Nelson.
The Land of Many Churches is the fifteenth studio album and the double live gospel album by Merle Haggard and The Strangers released on Capitol Records in 1971.
The Family is the lead singer Willie Nelson's touring and recording group. Nelson, who did not manage through the 1960s to succeed as a singer, retired after the failure of his 1971 album Yesterday's Wine. The following year, he returned from retirement rejuvenated by the burgeoning music movement of Austin, Texas.
Let's Face the Music and Dance is the 61st studio album by American country singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. Nelson's second album under his contract with Legacy Recordings, it was released on April 16, 2013. The album produced by Buddy Cannon featured a collection of standards that Nelson and his sister Bobbie played throughout their careers.
December Day: Willie's Stash, Vol. 1 is a collaboration album by American country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson and his sister, Bobbie Nelson, released by Legacy Recordings on December 2, 2014. It was the first release of Willie's Stash, a set of archival recordings curated by Nelson. Recorded with his road band, the album includes a track featuring Nelson's longtime bassist Bee Spears, deceased in 2011.
Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin is the 64th solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. After being awarded the Gershwin Prize by the Library of Congress, Nelson recorded a set of pop standards written by George and Ira Gershwin. The recording of the album was produced by Buddy Cannon and Matt Rollings. It includes the duets "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" with Cyndi Lauper and "Embraceable You" with Sheryl Crow.
One for the Road is an album by singers and songwriters Willie Nelson and Leon Russell, produced by the pair. The album was first released as a double vinyl LP by Columbia Records. The album was recorded in Leon's new facility, Paradise Studios in Burbank, California. The album peaked at No. 25 on the US Billboard 200 chart, No. 3 on US country albums chart, No. 28 on the Canada albums chart, No. 1 on the Canada country albums chart and No. 11 on the New Zealand albums chart. The album has gold certification for sales of over 500,000 albums in the US and Canada.
God and the FBI, provisionally titled In Dog Years I'm Dead, is the seventeenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Janis Ian, originally released in 2000 by Windham Hill Records. The album's ultimate title, and the theme of its opening title song, dates from a decade before its release when Ian requested that the FBI files of her parents, who were passionate black civil rights activists, be released to her.
