Make Way for Willie Nelson | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 1967 | |||
Recorded | March–June 1966 | |||
Studio | RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennessee | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 33:01 | |||
Label | RCA Victor | |||
Producer | Felton Jarvis, Chet Atkins | |||
Willie Nelson chronology | ||||
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Make Way for Willie Nelson is the fifth studio album by American country music singer Willie Nelson.
The single "One in a Row", Nelson's only original included on the album, peaked at number 19 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles. Meanwhile, the album release peaked at number nine on Billboard's Hot Country Albums.
By 1966, Nelson was becoming increasingly frustrated with the sound of his records at RCA, which did not boast the vitality of his live shows. Producer Chet Atkins often couched Nelson’s stylized vocal delivery in lush strings and background singers that were the hallmarks of the Nashville sound in the sixties. “You’d walk into the studio,” the singer remembered, “and they’d put six guys behind you who’d never seen your music before, and it’s impossible to get the feel of it in a three-hour session. This was true for me, at least.” [1] During the first months of 1966, Atkins delegated sessions to other producers due to his demanding schedule, and in March Nelson's next session was assigned to RCA Records staff producer Felton Jarvis, who had just started producing Elvis Presley.
The recording took place in Nashville's RCA Studio B between March and June 1966. The musicians who joined the session were Jerry Reed on the guitar, bassist Junior Husky, guitarist Velma Smith and Jerry Smith on piano. Additionally, Nelson added two members of his road band, Johnny Bush on the guitar and Jimmy Day on the steel guitar. The recordings were nearly all covers and reached for a countrypolitan sound. The last song of the album, Nelson's original "One in a Row", was recorded in June along with guitarist Johnny Bush and fiddler Wade Ray. [2] This sole Nelson composition on the LP is "a dramatic heartbreak ballad that danced easily with the pop standards "Have I Stayed Away Too Long" and "What Now My Love", which also appeared on the album." [3] In his book Willie Nelson, biographer Joe Nick Patoski notes, “Felton had a lighter touch, and Willie was nowhere near as intimidated by Felton as he was by Chet. When it came to picking guitar, no one was as good as Chet, so Willie often deferred to Chet’s judgement at his own expense.” [2] The album showcases Nelson’s versatility, as Streissguth observes:
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [5] |
Broadside | Favorable [6] |
The single "One in a Row" was released with the non-album flipside "San Antonio Rose", on October 1, 1966. [7] "One in a Row" reached number 19 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles. [2] The single "Make Way For a Better Man" was released as the flipside on the non-album track "The Party's Over" in February 1967. [8] Upon its release, the album entered the chart on May 6, at number 45 on Billboard's Hot Country Albums. [9] By July, the release peaked at number nine. [10]
Broadside magazine favored the album, noting that the recording consisted mainly on cover versions, including only one Nelson original. The publication attributed the release to be "thought towards establishing Willie's (Nelson) reputation as a performer, independently of his talent as a songwriter". [6] AllMusic rated the album with two-and-a-half stars out of five. [5]
Side one
Track | Song title | Writer(s) | Time |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Make Way for a Better Man" | Cy Coben | 2:01 |
2. | "Some Other World" | Floyd Tillman | 2:11 |
3. | "Have I Stayed Away Too Long?" | Frank Loesser | 3:06 |
4. | "Born to Lose" | Ted Daffan | 2:39 |
5. | "Lovin' Lies" | Dorothy Chapman, Troy Martin, Pete Pyle | 3:02 |
6. | "You Made Me Live, Love and Die" | Floyd Tillman | 2:53 |
Side two
Track | Song title | Writer(s) | Time |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "What Now My Love" | Gilbert Bécaud, Pierre Delanoë, Carl Sigman | 3:13 |
2. | "Teach Me to Forget" | Leon Payne | 2:53 |
3. | "Mansion on the Hill" | Fred Rose, Hank Williams | 3:02 |
4. | "If It's Wrong to Love You" | Bonnie Dodd, Charles Mitchell | 2:21 |
5. | "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" | Scotty Wiseman | 3:06 |
6. | "One in a Row" | Willie Nelson | 2:34 |
Chart (1967) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [11] | 9 |
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.
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.
Ladies Love Outlaws is an album by American country music artist Waylon Jennings, released on RCA Nashville in 1972. Together with Jennings' previous album Good Hearted Woman, it marks his transition toward his Outlaw Country image and style. "Ladies Love Outlaws" coined the use of the term "Outlaw" to refer to the country music subgenre, which was developing at the time of its release.
Wanted! The Outlaws is a compilation album by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser, released by RCA Records in 1976. The album consists of previously released material with four new songs. Released to capitalize on the new outlaw country movement, Wanted! The Outlaws earned its place in music history by becoming the first country album to be platinum-certified, reaching sales of one million.
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.
Both Sides Now is the tenth studio album by country singer Willie Nelson, released in 1970.
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.
...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.
"Bloody Mary Morning" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. Nelson wrote the song inspired by his struggles to become a "better parent". It was originally released in the 1970 RCA Records release Both Sides Now with the title "Bloody Merry Morning".
"Family Bible" is a song written by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. Nelson began writing the song in 1957, while he enjoyed success as a disc jockey in KVAN, in Vancouver, Washington. After being denied a raise by the station, he moved to Houston, Texas. Due to financial issues he sold the song to Paul Buskirk.
"Willingly" is a duet by American country music singer Willie Nelson and Shirley Collie, produced by Joe Allison during Nelson's third session for Liberty Records. Released in March 1962, the album reached number ten on Billboard's Hot Country Singles.
"Half a Man" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. The song was released as the A-side of the single for his second Liberty Records album, Here's Willie Nelson. Despite receiving mixed airplay for its content, the song became a sales success, peaking at number twenty-five on Billboard's Hot Country Singles and number twenty on Cashbox's country singles.
"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.
"Wake Me When It's Over" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Willie Nelson. After being signed as a recording artist to Liberty Records in 1961, the song was recorded during his second session with the label in September 1961 at Radio Recorders. Selected as the A-side of one of the promotional singles, the song failed to chart.
"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.
"Pretty Paper" is a song written by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson in 1963. After being signed to Monument Records, Nelson played the song for producer Fred Foster. Foster pitched the song to Roy Orbison, who turned it into a hit. Nelson later recorded his own version of the song in November 1964.
"Blackjack County Chain" is a song written by Red Lane. The song was initially rejected by Charley Pride, who considered at the time the lyrics controversial.
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