Jacob Sciba, Johnny Bush, Willie Nelson, Andy Bradley, Heath Robson
“Working with Willie is always a blast and this session was no different. Johnny Bush came out to the Pedernales to get Willie to cut some vocals on his new release, “Young At Heart.” Willie sang on about six tunes in all of about five hours, which is relaxed for Willie, and the record came alive. The rest of this record was cut down in Houston at Sugarhill Studio and sounds great; I’m just happy to have been a part of it.”
– Jacob Sciba, Audio Engineer
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The disc by Bush, best known for writing “Whiskey River,” features Nelson and Ray Price and the most current recordings by the late Calvin Owens.
“Young at Heart” is the follow-up release to his acclaimed “Kashmere Gardens Mud” (2007), which featured historic parallels between Bush’s 55-year career and the east end Houston neighborhood.
Owens arranged two tracks for the album, “Whiskey River” and “Free Soul.” “Whiskey River” is Calvin’s last recorded arrangement. He also provided he trumpet solos on three songs.
Other guests on include arrangers Paul English, Nelson Mills (ex-Archie Bell & the Drells) and musicians Buddy Emmons (inventor of the steel guitar), Leon Rhodes (ex-Ernest Tubb) on guitar and Harry Sheppard, the vibraphonist who played with Billie Holiday.
Songs include Bush, Nelson and Price singing “Young at Heart” and Nelson and Bush duets on “September in the Rain” (Sinatra) and “Walking the Floor Over You” (Tubb). Other tracks include “That’s All There is To That” (Nat King Cole), “Whiskey River” (Bush), “Soft Rain” (Price), “Will You Remember Mine (Nelson), “Summer of Roses/December Day” (Nelson), “Free Soul” (Nelson), “Worried Mind” (Ray Charles) and “You Don’t Know Me” (Cindy Walker). The album is being co-produced by Bush, Nelson and Andy Bradley and will be released on Nelson’s label, Pedernales Records.