Rodeo Headliner Series: Willie Nelson
Country music legend Willie Nelson’s iconic career has spanned more than five decades, dating back to the mid-1950s when he first began self-releasing music. Nelson signed his first contract with a major label in 1962 and quickly released his first studio album, “…And Then I Wrote.” Over the next 50 years, Willie Nelson would reach career highs that most can only dream to achieve.
The Legend Himself, Willie Nelson.
March 4, 2020
Whereas we looked at a newcomer and their early success, we’ll look at the country music hero that is Willie Nelson. Back in the 70’s, he along with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kritofferson and more split from the silky, polished sound Nashville was producing to a more rockier, stripped down version. This would later be called Outlaw Country, and it boosted Nelson’s career to what it is today. Why the success in the 70’s, didn’t his career start in the 50’s? Yes. And he looked different than what he is today. Unfortunately, he couldn’t reach stardom til he left Nashville. He found success in Austin once moving there, as well as changing his appearance to what we know of today. It was there that he released Red Headed Stranger in 1975; the album finally put him on the map in country leading to more success in the future. The album spawned two singles: “Blues Eyes Crying in the Rain” and “Remember Me”. Out of all the songs in his catalog, the one most people recognize (and my personal favorite) is “On the Road Again”. Give Red Headed Stranger a listen, it’s pretty good (the auto is pretty soft though).
