Recommend me some Willie Nelson*

As box set compilations go, especially for a catalogue as vast as Willie's, this one does the trick very well, and is easily recommended for a newbie.

After that, I'd get:

Mine too! I also like The Complete Atlantic Sessions:


This gives you Shotgun Willie, Phases and Stages, plus a fine live disc from that era, all in one nifty package that sounds great!

Absolutely!

This could well be Willie's magnum opus!

For latter day Willie, some great titles are:

Spirit (1996)


Teatro (1998) - I'd recommend the 2017 reissue complete with DVD featuring an "unplugged" type performance.

And of course, last year's God's Problem Child as well as his current Last Man Standing being discussed here:
Willie Nelson, Last Man Standing

Obviously, there's much more, but this should be a great primer. Enjoy!

 

Emphatic yes. This was the first album I ever owned. Why my parents thought a raucous Willie live record was something an 8 year old should have is beyond me, but it's still a favorite. That run on the second disc with I'm A Memory is worth the price of admission.

 

Shotgun Willie. Yes.

 

This

 

And you live in Texas so you should know!!!!

 

The 1CD "Smokin' At The Paradiso" features an enjoyable live set by Willie with the full band

 

Phases and Stages is a phenomenal concept written fully by Willie.
It's an album about divorce.
Side one is the female's perspective who leaves and side two is the male's who has been left.
It's genius.
The Honey Suckle Rose Soundtrack has a great vibe to it but you need to be familiar with the film to fully appreciate it.
Red Headed Stranger is a classic but a tad overrated IMO.
A really good best of cd is the 1981 Greatest Hits And Some That Will Be.

 

One of the greatest albums ever all genres IMO.

 

"like a bird on a wire" from the Leonard Cohen tribute album is the best version ever.

 

Before his more recent record deal with Sony, Willie released an enjoyable album entitled "The Gypsy" in 2000 with guitarist Jackie King and credited to both artists. Jackie perished in 2016 at the age of 71, but had played on a number of studio tracks with Willie including sessions for the "Angel Eyes" LP.

 

If it has not been mentioned I would not miss Willie’s new album. I was struck by how good I thought it really was.

 

Well, I enjoyed it. At 85 (!) his voice isn't what it used to be and he has to talk-sing through a lot of the notes, but the band was great and he still had a charismatic stage presence. His renditions of Georgia on My Mind or Still Not Dead might have been the best.

One thing surprised me is how good his guitar playing is. Has he always been that good and just holds back on the studio recordings, or did he take some lessons in the recent past?

I ended up mostly just streaming the greatest hits beforehand, but I think I have been sleeping on Willie and will get some of his albums.

Delta Rae, Allison Krauss, and Sturgill Simpson went before. I missed Delta, sadly (I've seen them before and they're much stronger live than in studio IMO). Allison was good. Sturgill went with a way more rocking set than I expected, and while I've listened to him a bit before I didn't know the songs well enough to follow with that kind of sound.

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Willie has always had the guitar chops and I think this band showcases them a bit more than in the past.
I saw earlier that Willie cancelled his show last night. Came out, strapped on his guitar, took off his guitar, threw his hat into the audience and walked off. Hope he is ok.

 

Willie's always been a fine guitarist stylist and always played very much with the same kind of lag-behind-the-beat phrasing that characterizes his singing too.

 

Start with Shotgun Willie its outlaw country at its best

Phases & Stages is a great concept album

Of course Red Headed Stranger

Next To Lefty From Willie

Finally Willie capped off his golden decade with Willie & Family Live which is a excellent document of Willie & band at the heighth of their powers

I don't care a whit about Willie after 1978

Saw him many times in our home state and he was always great

 

I definitely respect that kind of tasteful and understated guitar skill - I guess it's something you notice over time and didn't stand out much to me on early impressions with the studio recordings, being pretty new to Willie. Live he had more solos and his skill was more obvious.

 

I should have listened to Willie Nelson more... I just never took the time.

But he was always on my mind. He was always on my mind.

 

My grandpa would crank this one on the weekends when I was a kid. Love it!

 

I highly recommend the Night and Day jazz instrumental album, some of Willie's tastiest playing on record. I've always loved his playing, it's a direct extension of his vocals with his signature style and phrasing.

The new album is really great, one of his best in years. Long live Willie!

 

I can appreciate Willie but that moment of forever cd stunned me with a couple of incredible songs played and sung by a 78 yo or close to it. That song over you again is in my top 10 or 20 songs of all time and im not even a Willie Nelson fan

 

I've been getting serious mileage out of Phases and Stages lately.



An overlooked gem of a record.

 

Shotgun Willie is a must have. An amazing record with so many good songs.

She’s Not For You is a beautiful song.

The bass and drums on this record are so simple yet so powerful..

 

Shotgun Willie

 

almost anything he released from 1970-1985 is essential and then he has imo at least 1 essential release after that every 2-3 years

 

I’d start with the One Hell of a Ride box, then branch out into the periods you find preferable. The liner notes and credits will be your friend there.

I was a big a fan of the latter day Songbird when it came out. Wish he did more with Ryan Adams.