Willie Nelson is a famous American country singer who gained traction in the industry after releasing his 1973 album Shotgun Willie.
Here is a list of 20 of Nelson’s most memorable songs:
Crazy (1962)
Crazy was one of Nelson’s first unique and unpredictable phrasings, leaving fans with a taste of what would come in later years. The song was written by Nelson and popularized by Patsy Cline.
Funny How Time Slips Away (1962)
Funny How Time Slips Away was written by Willie Nelson; however, it was first performed by Billy Walker. Various other artists have turned the song into a top 40 hit, yet Nelson’s only version always packed the biggest punch.
Hello Walls (1962)
Hello Walls was written during one of Willie Nelson’s poorer times; luckily for him, the song would bring him a royalty check worth $20,000 in 1962.
Half A Man (1963)
Half A Man was a slow shuffle song that appeared on Nelson’s 1963 album, Here’s Willie Nelson. It was one of Nelson’s first songs to break into the top 25 on the Hot Country Billboard Chart.
Pretty Paper (1964)
Willie Nelson was inspired to write Pretty Paper after encountering a vendor outside a store in Texas. The amputee with no legs gave Willie Nelson the inspiration for this classic hit no long before Christmas.
Night Life (1965)
Night Life was a song written by Willie Nelson and dedicated to small hours mixed with emotional storytelling and backed up by six-string riffs, resulting in a story of Nelson’s late-night observations.
Me And Paul (1971)
Willie Nelson wrote Me And Paul to honor his drummer, Paul English. It’s centered on the life of touring and how everything in life is better with a partner in crime.
Family Bible (1971)
Family Bible was written by Nelson early in his career and sold to Texan artist Claude Gray, who counted the song as one of his biggest hits. It was later released on Nelson’s album, Yesterday’s Wine, in 1971.
Whiskey River (1973)
Whiskey River is one of Nelson’s iconic concert-opening songs admired by fans worldwide. However, it was written by Jonny Bush. Nelson released this song on his 1973 album, Shotgun Willie.
Bloody Mary Morning (1974)
Bloody Mary Morning was a huge hit among fans as they could sense the emotion written into this classic. It came at a pivotal time in Nelson’s career, just as his marriage was falling apart and his contract was going nowhere with RCA Records. All roads were leading home to Texas.
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (1975)
When Willie Nelson released Blue Eyes In The Rain, it was the first time in over a decade that he achieved a Top 10 hit and brought in a new age for Nelson as the adjoining album, Red Headed Stranger, topped country charts across the nation.
Good-Hearted Woman (1976)
Nelson and Jennings, two long-time friends, released his duet in 1976, instantly becoming a hit among fans. While the song was initially released by Jennings in 1972, adding Nelson to the mix brought the song to new heights.
Georgia On My Mind (1978)
Willie Nelson released Georgia On My Mind on his 1978 album, Stardust. This was a beautiful rendition of the Ray Charles classic, a Nelson-style remake that gave fans a look at his talent outside of the country genre.
Mammas Don’t Let Your Boys Grow Up To Be Cowboys (1979)
Mammas Don’t Let Your Boys Grow Up To Be Cowboys was originally written by Ed Bruce; however, when Nelson decided to cover the song in 1979, fans all agreed that this song was almost written for him to perform.
On The Road Again (1980)
On The Road Again was originally penned for the movie Honeysuckle Rose, a film about a country-singing outlaw who never made it to the top. Willie Nelson also stars in the movie, and the song was one of his biggest hits.
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1980)
Willie Nelson covered this iconic song first written by Sharon Vaughn in 1980 for the movie, The Electric Horsemen. Nelson was able to ride this cover all the way to the number one stop in the charts.
Always On My Mind (1982)
Always on my mind was performed by various artists, including Elvis Presley; however, it was Nelson’s version, a song in his iconic style that went on to win three Grammys.
Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground (1981)
Willie Nelson played a version of himself in the movie Honeysuckle Rose, and Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground was a classic written by Nelson for this movie.
Pancho And Lefty (1983)
Pancho And Lefty was originally a musical tale pieced together by Townes Van Zandt based on brotherhood and betrayal. The song was then covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard in 1983.
Forgiving You Was Easy (1985)
Forgiving You Was Easy was released on Nelson’s 1985’s, Me and Paul. Nelson uses his musical genius to portray the various complexities of relations and how our hearts can be scorned by the ones we love.
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