Willie Nelson

"Crazy -- The Demo Sessions": How a Legend Is Born

It's not too tough to think of good things to say about Willie Nelson. As a country music legend, his name is immediately recognizable to people whether they know country music or not; his voice; his face; the distinctive sound of his trusty guitar, Trigger; his acting roles; not to mention his notorious troubles with the IRS and his open use of marijuana; are all well known to most folks, in and out of the immediate country music circle. Very few people in America are unfamiliar with Willie Nelson in some form or another.

But all legends had to make their beginning somewhere, and this marvelous package of Willie's early demo recordings shows pretty plainly Willie was set to follow that path even when he was struggling against Nashville's desire to polish him into a diamond when he was very clearly a VERY different sort of gem.

Willie arrived in Nashville in 1960, and by 1962 he was a well-respected songwriter, having delivered certifiable hits for Faron Young, Patsy Cline, and Ray Price; yet he could not break through as a recording artist himself. His unique sound and style was ill-suited for the heavy-handed production and orchestral string arrangements Nashville was embracing at that time, and despite a sound that was as true and real as Willie himself, he did not work well with the Countrypolitan "Nashville Sound." Willie's music simply did not sell until he took up his own reins and produced his masterpiece, "Red Headed Stranger," ignoring the advice of the Nashville machine and doing it all his way.

But long before that, Willie was just a songsmith peddling his merchandise, and these demos, a crisp and clear representation of what Willie was doing before the Nashville sound machine took control, show he probably could have broken through much sooner had they not tried to change him into what he was not. Because it's a joy listening to these songs, as pure and as simple as they are.

The disc contains 15 remarkable tracks, including the all-time jukebox favorite, "Crazy." These demo sessions represent a marvelous slice of history. Opening up with "Opportunity to Cry," the first half of the CD is simply a collection of short, simple clips; Willie selling his songs, just him and his guitar. These include his demo of "Three Days," which went on to remarkable success for Faron Young, "Undo the Right," and "Darkness on the Face of the Earth."

Halfway through, beginning with "Things to Remember," Willie is joined by studio musicians (those that are known are credited) to present the songs as they would sound with some crack playing. These tracks are awesome examples of early 60's Nashville honky-tonk, and what could be done without the over-production so popular then. Willie's demo of "Crazy" is the one which was presented to Patsy Cline; there's also a number of tracks Willie would record later, such as "I Gotta Get Drunk," "A Moment Isn't Very Long," and "The Local Memory." The final track, "I'm Still Here," has never been released before now. To borrow a catch phrase, it's all good.

The informative, and expansive, liner notes give a sharp history in a few crisp, well-written paragraphs, including the comment that these early demos closely resemble the music he would release fourteen years later on "Red Headed Stranger." It seems obvious that Willie always knew exactly how he wanted to sound and what he wanted to produce, but he was pounding his head on a honky-tonk door Nashville had long closed. Willie didn't set out to be an "outlaw," but they made him one quite by accident.

Willie is no diamond. I think he'd be one of the first to admit that fact. On the contrary, Willie is more like a tiger's eye; a rougher, simpler gem; but it's every bit as beautiful in the right setting.

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back February 2003