Willie Nelson recommendations

i have had willie's "best of" for a few years and always liked his music but have never explored his back catalogue. where do i start? and what releases are the best sounding?

thanks in advance!

 

red headed stranger
shotgun willie
phases and stages
willie and family live

 

MFSL version of Stardust

 

These are the basics, and initial classics, esp. Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages. The live album from '78 is great.

If you want something modern, try the Daniel Lanois produced Teatro from the late 90s. It's an overlooked classic IMO.

 

These are all essential.
Red Headed Stranger (Impex for vinyl)
Stardust (haven't heard the MFSL, but the Classic on vinyl is stellar)
Phases & Stages (unsure which is best, but an essential album)
Shotgun Willie (unsure which is best, but an essential album)
Teatro (personal favorite from the last 20 years, just reissued on vinyl)

 

Spirit.
A beautiful album.

Teatro.
Another, very different, beautiful album.

 

thanks guys. i am very fond of the stardust era tracks and think willie does a great service to these standards. i'll keep my eye out for the MFSL version.

 

All Willie is at least good.
I always recommend These four in sequence
Yesterdays Wine(his last for RCA)
Shotgun Willie
Phases And Stages
Red Headed Stranger

Then skip a few to
Willie And Family Live
Tougher Than Leather(a loose follow up to Stranger)

After that if your still ready for more follow your muse. Willie has probably been there already.

 

The 1999 Stardust CD remaster sounds good.

 

I've heard that the 1989 Rhino compilation, "Nite Life: Greatest Hits and Rare Tracks (1959-1971)," is a great disc. I don't have it myself but have been meaning to get it for years.

From the All Music Guide review: " 'Nite Life: Greatest Hits and Rare Tracks' collects material Willie Nelson wrote and recorded while he was trying to launch a career as a professional songwriter during the '60s. At this time, he also made two albums and several singles for Liberty, and many recordings for RCA. These songs, including some rarities, are compiled for this flawless single-disc collection.

" 'Nite Life' runs through all of the songs other performers had hits with and made standards, including the title track, 'Crazy,' 'Funny How Time Slips Away' and 'Hello Walls.' "

 

I have it and it's excellent.

 

The Impex LP is absolutely stunning and worth every penny and then some. I think the production run was limited to 2,000 copies.

 

Across the Borderline

 

spirit and teatro from the 90's are good. i also like his 2 recent releases, band of brothers and december day. strong albums

 

It's good, but I wouldn't rank it as one of his best or as a place to start for someone who's relatively new. To some degree he had not yet found his voice as a performer when he did those tracks. Some absolutely brilliant songs on there, but not necessarily brilliant records. I'd rank 80% of his 70s output over these recordings.

 

I'm also very partial to the instrumental album "Night + Day".

 

Willie Nelson recommendations?

Willie recommends weed.

 

The Sound in Your Mind 1976


"Medley" - 8:31

• "Funny How Time Slips Away"
• "Crazy"
• "Night Life" (Paul Buskirk, Walt Breeland, Nelson)

The whole album is great but the Medley will blow your mind>


sean

 

For a great career retrospective a highly recommend "One Hell of a Ride" 4 discs from all labels and most affordable!


Recent masterpieces:
Spirit
Teatro
Across the Borderline
Let's Face the Music and Dance
Band of Brothers
Night and Day

Most Willie LPs(even the one's with re-makes are very good)

 

Another vote for Teatro , as well as Spirit. IMO those two are the best of the more recent releases.

Also Family Bible. It's largely vocal / piano duets w his sister. Great gospel record and can usually be found in the dollar bin. Edit: I forgot Night and Day! Essential if you like Willie's guitar playing.

 

For about $30 there is a 4 disc set called "One Hell Of A Ride". You get a good sampling of his entire career which includes his criminally underrated RCA recordings from the 1960's.

Sound quality is top notch and you can hear each era and use that as a platform to pick where you want to dig deeper.

http://www.amazon.com/One-Hell-Ride-4-CD-Box/dp/B000VEA38O

 

I love Teatro too.

 

Yesterday's Wine is my favorite I think.

 

Probably not a first or even a third choice. But "Crazy: The Demo Sessions" is one I have come back to again and again over the years. Sparse, beautiful and his phrasing of lyrics..wow..just love it.

 

I'm adding absolutely nothing new, just weighing in,

Stardust, especially the MFSL LP
Phases and Stages (our first Willie LP)
Red Headed Stranger, what a fantastic followup to Phases, my personal fav