Archive for November, 2007

Willie Nelson and Family, Memorial Coliseum, corpus Christie, TX (1/5/1983)

Friday, November 30th, 2007

 

Corpus Christi Time
1/5/1983
by Danny Goddard

Wih a voice like a well-worn saddle, Willie Nelson has evolved from his early Nashville roots into one of the consumate pop vocalists of the second half of the century.  His songs of melancholy loneliness and lighthearted good times strike a universal chord.

Beginning with “Whiskey River,” he sang a half dozen of his most notable tunes — “Shotgun Willie,” “Good Hearted Woman,” “If You’ve Got the Money Honey I’ve Got the Time” and before the night was over, he had sung nearly 30 of his hits.

If he had never heard a country song, Nelson could have  been famous singing the blues or pop songs.  His version of “Blue Skies” and “Georgia On My Mind” together were worth the price of admission.

All through the concert, devoted fans risked the wrath of security guards to toss roses and expensive-looking cowboy hats on the stage for their bearded, pig-tailed idol.  Nelson obliged them by wearing several different hats, just as he tried on a variety of musical styles.

The crowd came alive when he got to “Bloody Mary Morning” which featured Nelson playing an extended jam on his battered guitar.  “On the Road Again” propelled people to their feet in jarring contrast to the heartfelt “Always On My Mind” which followed.

Nelson left the artificial attitudes and macho posturing of most country music behind when he moved back to Texas.  Obviously he never left completely; no Southern boy ever does.  While he has travelled far, his has never been far from his wooden church upbringing in a dusty Texas hamlet.  Now he is a firm believer in reincarnation.  He believes everyone returns to earth periodically until the subject acquires enough knowledge to move on to another realm.  “I look at the earth like it’s a university.  We have certain lessons to learn.  If we learn, we move on to other positions in the universe,” he said.  To other places, to other duties.  Ultimately we gain a state of perfection.   Meanwhile, anyone who returns to earth is back here because he did not learn enough on the previous trip.  So some poeple are in the 1st grade and others are in the 3rd.”

“You have 15 minutes before you go on,” an aide broke in.  Nelson waves him away and wanted to talk more about Dixie religion. 

“Ever miss the old hymns?” I ask. 

“Yeah, I remember them,” he said.  Remember one called ‘Tell Me the Story of Jesus'”? he asked.  “That was my grandmother’s favorite,” I said.  So we sang two verses.

He wanted to sing some more, but his aide kept urging that it was time to go onstage.

“So what is the South to you in one sentence,” I asked.

Nelson looked off a moment. “It is the music and the religion, of course.  And it is also the land.  The land in Texas where I grew up had such scarcity and vastness.  It taught me not to be afraid, to know you can do anything you want to do.”

Not to be afraid to do anything you want to do, even be a superstar…  He walked on stage amid the vast roar…

www.LiveWillie.com

Friday, November 30th, 2007

Rachel, and Chris, of www.LiveWillie.com at the Choteau, Montana show (7/3/07).  At the site, you can purchase live recordings of Willie Nelson and Family shows, on USB wristbands.

Willie Nelson Art, by Marshall Jay Kaplin

Friday, November 30th, 2007

Over the past 20 years as a syndicated entertainment columnist and illustrator, Marshall Jay Kaplan has been fortunate to come into contact with many of entertainments greatest. He has worked in the entertainment/ newspaper industry and has amassed a collection of thousands of celebrity autographs.

Carl’s Corner Grand Opening (9/8/1984)

Friday, November 30th, 2007

 

‘Ballad of Carl’s Corners’ competition to highlight Hillsboro extravaganza.

American Country
Waco, Texas
by Mike Shrapshire
Sept. 1984.

When Carl Cornelius officially opens his Carl’s Corners truckstop on September 8, it will be what the colorful Central Texas businessman admits is “the culmination of a life-long dream.”

Cornelius, 49, is so confident that he is in the process of commissioning a song — “The Ballad of Carl’s Corners” — to be the theme of his Sept. 8 Grand Opening.

“Several truckers have already submitted tapes of their entries, and their work demonstrates considerable song writing talent,” says Cornelius, who is frankly surprised that the knights of the road have turned out to be such lyrical romanticists at heart.

The winning song will be featured as the official commercial for the truck stop and will be broadly distributed on WBAP 820’s “U.S. Truckers Show,” as well as spots that will run on Waco-Hillsboro KJNE and Hillsboro’s KHBR.  Currently, however, the person holding the inside track in the ballad contest is Dallas singer-song writer Michael Martin, who has been one of the more popular club acts in North Texas and New York City’s Lone Star Cafe for a number of years.

Also to be featured in Martin’s repertoire at the Grand Opening will be the official premier of a song called “Child Support and a Chili Dog,” the first of many potential hits currently being turned out by ex-convict-turned-evangelist Lancelot Lovejoy.

Lovejoy was lead guitarist and baritone with Lone Star Brothers, a group that enjoyed temporary success in West Fort Worth in the 1990s.  After a 30 year absence precipitated by what Lovejoy terms “some unfortunate nocturnal proclivities,” Lovejoy is back on the Texas music trail.

The Grand Opening is also scheduled to feature a personal appearance by Western Movie Hall of Fame Sunset “Kit” Carson, noted for his roles in such unforgettable film classics as “Code of the Prairie,” “Bells of Rosarita,” “Cherokee Flash,” “The El Paso Kid” “The Return of Sunset Carson” and an unending list of motion picture achievements.  Carson, a native Texan, has put on command performances, in the past, for the King and Queen of Siam, the President of Ireland and General Yah’s s fighting forces in Matsu.

“The average person might be wondering why we’ll be staging such a grandiose Grand Opening for a truck stop,” says Cornelius, who’s facility is just north of Hillsboro on I-35 East at the 2959 exit.

“That’s because there is no other truck stop in Texas, no… make that the world, that can compare to what Carl’s Corners will provide for the trucker,” says Cornelius.

“I’ve traveled Texas for years, visiting truck stops and talking to truckers.. picking their brains.  Now I’ve incorporated all their ideas into my facility.  And, I’m proud of it.

What other truck stop can offer a swimming pool and a hot tub and saunas and the best home cooked food on the interstate, not to mention a barbershop and shoe shine stand and motel rooms that are minature country homes?

Carl’s corner also features five acres of paved parking and a convenience store.

Cornelius has also secured the talents of famed artist Robert Wade, a.k.a. Daddio and Bucking Bob, for purpose of aesthetics.

Wade, a former Wacoan who attracted national attention with his 40-foot New York City Lone Star Iguana and his six dancing frogs atop the Dallas nightclub Tango, is going to contribute the world’s largest roadsign.

Construction on this project, which will be a three-times larger than scale 18-wheeler, begins in September.

The Grand Opening at Carl’s Corners will also feature a ribbon cutting involving Hillsboro Mayor Roy Rhodes, along with general partners Larry White and Monk White.

Vice President George Bush, Governor Mark White and U.S. Senators Lloyd Bentsen and John Iower are among the dignitaries who have been personally invited by Cornelius to attend the event.

Willie Nelson, Ray Price “San Antonio Rose”

Friday, November 30th, 2007

released:  6/24/03

Song List:

  1. San Antonio Rose
  2. I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)
  3. I Fall To Pieces
  4. Crazy Arms
  5. Release Me
  6. Don’t You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)
  7. This Cold War With You
  8. Ain’t It Funny How Time Slips Away
  9. Night Life
  10. Deep Water
  11. Faded Love
  12. Just Call Me Lonesome

Willie Nelson, in the City of New Orleans (1/3/08, 1/4/08)

Friday, November 30th, 2007

 

Willie’s Fan Association http://www.clubluck.willienelson.com/ has announced today that Willie Nelson and Family will do two shows at the House of Blues in New Orleans on January 3 and 4, 2008. 

For members of Club Luck, tickets go on sale Monday.  Here’s a good reason to join up!  (Only $30.00/year)

Willie Nelson, the Great Divide

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

Welcome Alabama Gypsy Rose!

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

Congratulations!

www.cmt.com

Shooter Jennings and longtime girlfriend Drea de Matteo welcomed a baby girl on Wednesday night (Nov. 28) in New York. They named her Alabama Gypsy Rose. She weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces. Jennings is the son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. De Matteo is an actress whose roles include The Sopranos and the TV series, Joey. This is their first child.

The Tao of Willie

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

A Canadian Sings for Peace

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

 
www.willienelsonpri.com

Billy Ray, from Canada, is the latest artist to record ‘A Peaceful Solution,’ the song written last summer by Willie Nelson and daughter Amy.  You can see and hear Billy Ray at
http://willienelsonpri.com/peace/509/a-peaceful-solution-billyray.html

Willie and Amy made the song the had written available to anyone, freely, to record themselves, or to use a recorded version as a soundtrack to their movie about peace.  Willie has recorded several beautiful versions that you can hear at the Willie Nelson Peace Research Site (www.willienelsonpri.com), and you can hear Amy’s recording there, as well.

Billy Ray s 

“I’ve been singing since knee-hi to a grass-hopper, and have been with a few bands, both country and more recently 50s and 60s rock and roll. I truly love both venues! I am a 55 year old gentleman from just outside of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In 1972 our band was the opening act for the “Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, and Jim Ed Brown Tour” here at the Montreal Forum. LoL What a blast that night was..

Hope you enjoy my Renditions of the different artists.

Thanks for Listening to my music!”

BillyRay

He has a youtube account at www.youtube.com/billyray1952

Willie Nelson, Ray Price, “Seven Spanish Angels” (1986)

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63A__INJecI]

Happy Holidays

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

Happy Holidays Willie Nelson Fans, The Holiday season is quickly approaching and the Willie Nelson Store is offering exciting new products and discounts. You can place your order now at the Official Willie Nelson Store and get your gifts in time for Christmas.We just received the new Willie Nelson Christmas ornament! There are also 9 new t-shirts in stock and pint glasses are now available! Use this code and get 20% off the entire store: HOLIDAYS
Visit us at stores.allaccesstoday.com/willie

Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones

Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

Willie Nelson and Quincy Jones celebrate Ray’s birthday.  Sorry, I can’t find out what year this is. 

Genius Loves Company, Ray Charles

Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

In 2004 Ray Charles recorded Genius Loves Company, which consisted of duets of Charles and other artists, personally selected by him. It was the last album he completed before his death.  It debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200. At the Grammys on February 13, 2005, it won eight awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for the song “Here We Go Again”.

Genius Loves Company was produced as a collaboration of Concord Records and Hear Music, the music label of the coffee chain Starbucks. The great commercial success of the album (over 5.5 million copies were sold worldwide up to 2007) has been attributed in part to it being distributed and promoted via Starbucks coffeehouses.

Track List:

  1. “Here We Go Again” with Norah Jones – 3:59 (Lanier/Red Steagall)
  2. “Sweet Potato Pie” with James Taylor – 3:47 (Taylor)
  3. “You Don’t Know Me” with Diana Krall – 3:55 (Arnold/Walker)
  4. “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word” with Elton John – 3:59 (John/Taupin)
  5. “Fever” with Natalie Cole – 3:30 (Cooley/Davenport)
  6. “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?” with Bonnie Raitt – 4:34 (Burnette/Smotherman)
  7. “It Was a Very Good Year” with Willie Nelson – 4:59 (Drake)
  8. “Hey Girl” with Michael McDonald – 5:15 (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
  9. “Sinner’s Prayer” with B.B.King – 4:25 (Fulson/Glenn)
  10. “Heaven Help Us All” with Gladys Knight – 4:32 (Miller)
  11. “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” with Johnny Mathis - 4:54 (Arlen/Harburg)
  12. “Crazy Love” with Van Morrison – 6:14 (Morrison)

Willie and Lukas Nelson, NYC (9/07)

Wednesday, November 28th, 2007