“Me and Paul: Untold Tales of a Fabled Friendship,” the latest book written by Willie, with David Ritz, is set to be released Tuesday, September 20 by Harper Horizon Books. and you can pre-order it on Willie’s website here. The site is offering a 10% discount for first time purchases, also
This book is everything it’s title promises: it’s all about Willie Nelson and his drummer Paul English. It’s the book we’ve all wanted to read, a book of stories about their friendship and life on the road. Chapter after chapter of stories about Paul supporting, encouraging, protecting Willie for over 70 years, from early hard scrap days in Fort Worth in the ’50’s to playing sold out shows around the world, donating their time and energy to help raise money to support family farmers, through movies in Hollywood and around the country and the world..
Willie wrote Me and Paul in collaboration with journalist David Ritz, who worked with Willie before on It’s a Long Story: My Life and Me written in 2015. Ritz is a Grammy-winning music journalist and author. Right at the begining, Mr. Ritz lets us know that, “I’ve taken poetic license to adorn their stories,” and that Willie and Paul most likely take the same poetic license when they tell stories. The stories, so many never published anywhere, weave together an epic story of 70 years of friendship and Paul’s support, encouragement, protection and care of Willie. On tour he was bodyguard, accountant and known to carry a gun to make sure band got paid. Sadly, Paul passed away 87 years old in 2020.
In the ’70’s, Willie wrote a song with same name as this book, “Me and Paul.” A highlight and fan favorite of every show, was when the band would perform that song Willie wrote celebrating their friendship. Every time, at the end of the song Willie would turn around and Paul would stand up behind his drum set, and the two would shake hands. It gave me good bumps. “Me and Paul” was also name of a studio album Willie released in 1985.
This is an entertaining, touching, book. It talks about triumphs, disappointments, good times, hard times, scary times. It’s very entertaining, and makes you love WIllie and Paul even more, if that’s possible