Willie Nelson

**Willie Hugh Nelson** (born April 29, 1933) is an American musician, actor, and activist. The critical success of the 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. He was one of the main figures of outlaw country, a subgenre of country music that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. 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.

## Links to Kershaw

Andy Kershaw in the No Off Switch blogsite, published in 2013, mentioned that he got introduced to Willie Nelson's music in 1979 and also that he is one of the few artists that he admired:

> *"Hearing the double album, Willie & Family Live, in 1979 was my introduction to Willie Nelson – and a real ear-opener. The quality of the songs, the musicianship of the Family Band, Willie’s casual – almost off-hand – delivery, and the self-evident humanity of the guy made me an instant convert and evangelist for this maverick giant of American music. There are few artists I admire as much as Willie."* [1]
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He also admitted that BBC Radio One weren't keen for Willie to perform because he was considered "too old":

> *"In May 1998, I invited him, via his record label, to come and perform live on my BBC Radio 1 programme, never expecting he’d agree. He said yes. (Radio 1 management then tried to stop his appearance on the grounds that Willie was “too old.” I told them to fuck off). The full story is in my book but – in short – he came on and played throughout the two hour show, with the whole band. And he was just as I hoped he’d be – a lovely bloke. When he walked into the studio, – small, wiry, humble, serene – I swear he had a saintly glow around him. What followed is still one of the real high points of my 29 years in broadcasting."* [2]
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## Sessions

1. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 01 June 1998. Repeated: 10 December 1998

* Fast Train To Georgia / Me And Paul / I'll Take You With Me Everywhere I Go / Somebody Pick Up My Pieces / I Never Cared For You / In My Own Peculiar Way / Annie / Hard Edge / Till I Gain Control Again / Truck Driving Man

## Other Shows Played

1985
* 21 September 1985: Are There Any More Real Cowboys?
* 07 November 1985: Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain

1986
* 28 October 1986 (John Peel): Bloody Mary Morning (2xLP - Willie And Family Live) Columbia

1992
* 26 January 1992: Detour (CD - The Hungry Years) Sony Special Products
* 11 April 1992: I'm Ragged But I'm Right (CD - The Hungry Years) Sony Music Special Products
* 11 July 1992: Pretend I Never Happened
* 19 December 1992: Yesterday's Wine (CD - Who'll Buy My Memories? Vol. 1 (The IRS Tapes)) Sony Music Special Products

1993
* 24 April 1993: If I Were The Man You Wanted (CD - Across The Borderline) Columbia
* 15 May 1993: Heartland (CD - Across The Borderline) Columbia
* 10 July 1993: On The Road Again
* 11 September 1993: Undo The Right (2xCD - The Early Years - The Complete Liberty Recordings Plus More) Liberty
* 09 October 1993: Country Willie (2xCD - 45 Original Tracks - The Complete Liberty Recordings 1962-1964) EMI
* 13 November 1993: Pretend I Never Happened (CD - Who'll Buy My Memories? Vol 2 The IRS Tapes) Sony Music

1994
* 01 January 1994: If I Were The Man You Wanted (CD - Across The Borderline) Columbia
* 05 November 1994: Dreaming Of A Little Cabin

1996
* 03 March 1996: Truck Driving Man (Boxset - A Classic & Unreleased Collection) Rhino
* 03 March 1996: No Place For Me (Boxset - A Classic & Unreleased Collection) Rhino
* 03 March 1996: She Thinks I Still Care (Boxset - A Classic & Unreleased Collection) Rhino
* 17 March 1996: The Face Of A Fighter (Boxset - A Classic & Unreleased Collection) Rhino
* 28 April 1996: Each Night At Nine (CD - Just One Love) Justice
* 05 May 1996: She Thinks I Still Care (Boxset - A Classic & Unreleased Collection) Rhino
* 19 May 1996: Your Memory Won't Die In My Grave (CD - Spirit) Island
* 09 June 1996: Too Sick To Prey
* 22 December 1996: She Thinks I Still Care (3xCD - A Classic & Unreleased Collection) Rhino

1998
* 02 March 1998: Home Motel (CD - Who'll Buy My Memories?) Sony Music Special
* 11 May 1998: She Thinks I Still Care (CD - Willie Nelson A Classic & Unreleased Collection) Rhino
* 18 May 1998: Till I Gain Control Again (CD - The Hungry Years) Sony Music Special
* 01 June 1998: On The Road Again (CD - Willie Nelson: The Collection) Castle
* 15 June 1998: Till I Take Control Again
* 15 June 1998: Truck Driving Man
* 05 November 1998: Darkness On The Face Of The Earth (CD - Teatro) Island
* 19 November 1998: The Maker (CD - Teatro) Island

1999
* 07 January 1999: Darkness On The Face Of The Earth (CD - Teatro) Island
* 04 March 1999: Family Bible (CD - VH1 Storytellers) Columbia
* 08 April 1999: Home Motel (CD - Teatro) Island

2000
* 02 March 2000: Darkness on the Face of the Earth (CD - Teatro) Island

2001
* 04 May 2001: Till I Gain Control Again (CD - Willie And Family Live) Warner Bros.

2002
* 18 January 2002: Maria (Shut Up And Kiss Me) (CD - The Great Divide) Lost Highway

2003
* 21 February 2003: Opportunity To Cry (CD - Crazy: The Demo Sessions) Sugar Hill
* 28 February 2003: Darkness On The Face Of The Earth (CD - Crazy: The Demo Sessions) Sugar Hill
* 28 February 2003: Undo The Right (CD - Crazy: The Demo Sessions) Sugar Hill
* 07 March 2003: A Moment Isn't Very Long (CD - Crazy: The Demo Sessions) Sugar Hill
* 11 April 2003: Opportunity To Cry (CD - Crazy: The Demo Sessions) Sugar Hill
* 11 July 2003: Deep Water (CD - Run That By Me One More Time) Lost Highway
* 18 July 2003: Permanently Lonely (CD - Crazy: The Demo Sessions) Sugar Hill
* 23 November 2003: Like A Soldier (4xCD - Unearthed) American

2004
* 30 May 2004: Till I Gain Control (CD - Smokin' At The Paradiso (Live in Amsterdam)) Corazong

2005
* 23 January 2005: You Are My Flower (CD - The Unbroken Circle (The Musical Heritage Of The Carter Family)) Dualtone
* 03 April 2005: The Maker (CD - Teatro) Island
* 26 June 2005: Undo The Right (CD - Countryman) Lost Highway

2006
* 12 March 2006: He Was A Friend Of Mine (CD - Brokeback Mountain (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)) Verve Forecast
* 08 October 2006: Back To Earth (CD - Songbird) Lost Highway

2007
* 21 January 2007: Sad Songs And Waltzes (album - Songbird) Lost Highway
* 26 March 2007: Till I Gain Control Again (2xLP - Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)) CBS
* 09 April 2007: Lost Highway (album - Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Ray Price: Last Of The Breed) Lost Highway

2022
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 13: Till I Gain Control Again (album - Willie And Family Live) Colombia

2023
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 26 (& Merle Haggard): No Reason To Quit (album - Pancho & Lefty) Epic

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs
* Official Website