Willie Nelson - The Essential Willie Nelson (1961-2002)

This CD commemorates Willie Nelson's 70th Birthday (April 30, 2003).

The catalog of Willie Nelson is so vast and rich that assembling an "essential" collection of only one or two discs seems nearly impossible. RCA's single-disc 1995 attempt was admirable and worthy, but doomed by space limitations. With a bit more room to move, Legacy's roomier two-disc collection is about close as anyone could hope to come. We get the full view of the great singer/songwriter's artistic journey.

"Hello Walls" and the evergreen "Crazy" hail from the days when Nelson was tooling around Nashville as a songwriter for hire but mystifyingly unable to connect as a solo artist. His transformation into a counterculture icon via the '70s "outlaw country" movement is marked by the likes of "Me and Paul" and "Bloody Mary Morning." His tremendous skill as in interpreter can be heard in such standards as "Blue Skies" and "Georgia on Mind," which helped make him a crossover success in the STARDUST era. Latter-day collaborations with everyone from Aerosmith ("One Time Too Many") to U2 ("Slow Dancing") show Willie's mercurial, eclectic nature. Add it all up and a portrait comes together of a man whose artistic vision has carried him across decades and stylistic shifts aplenty and seen him through in style.

Recorded between 1961 & 2002.

Tracklists

Disc 1
01. Night Life Willie Nelson 2:32
02. Hello Walls Willie Nelson 2:25
03. Crazy Willie Nelson 2:52
04. Funny How Time Slips Away Willie Nelson 3:03
05. I Never Cared For You Willie Nelson 2:32
06. The Party's Over Willie Nelson 2:29
07. Good Times Willie Nelson 2:28
08. Me And Paul Willie Nelson 3:49
09. Shotgun Willie Willie Nelson 2:39
10. Bloody Mary Morning Willie Nelson 2:49
11. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain Willie Nelson 2:21
12. Good Hearted Woman Willie Nelson 2:59
13. If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time Willie Nelson 2:06
14. Uncloudy Day Willie Nelson 4:42
15. Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys (Remastered For Buddha - October 30, 2000) Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson 2:33
16. Georgia On My Mind Willie Nelson 4:20
17. Blue Skies Willie Nelson 3:35
18. All Of Me Willie Nelson 3:55
19. Heartbreak Hotel (feat Leon Russell) Willie Nelson 3:01
20. Help Me Make It Through The Night Willie Nelson 4:01
21. Whiskey River (Live) Willie Nelson 3:33
22. Stay A Little Longer (Live) Willie Nelson 3:25

Disc 2
01. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys Willie Nelson 3:06
02. Faded Love Willie Nelson 3:51
03. On The Road Again Willie Nelson 2:34
04. Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground Willie Nelson 4:29
05. Always On My Mind Willie Nelson 3:33
06. Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning Willie Nelson 4:21
07. Pancho And Lefty Willie Nelson 4:48
08. To All The Girls I've Loved Before Julio Iglesias duet feat Willie Nelson 3:34
09. City Of New Orleans Willie Nelson 4:52
10. Seven Spanish Angels (feat Ray Charles) Willie Nelson feat Ray Charles 3:53
11. Forgiving You Was Easy Willie Nelson 2:49
12. Highwayman Johnny Cash 3:04
13. Living In The Promiseland Willie Nelson 3:22
14. Nothing I Can Do About It Now Willie Nelson 3:20
15. Graceland Willie Nelson 4:46
16. Everywhere I Go (feat Emmylou Harris) Willie Nelson 3:51
17. Slow Dancing (U2 featuring Willie Nelson - Mickey Rapael on Harmonica) U2, Willie Nelson, Mickey Raphael 4:03
18. Mendocino County Line (feat Lee Ann Womack) Willie Nelson, Lee Ann Womack
19. One Time Too Many (feat Steven Tyler and Aerosmith)(Previously Unreleased) Willie Nelson, Steven Tyler, Aerosmith 5:25

Personnel
Emmylou Harris
Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Aerosmith
Leann Womack

Also: Johnny Cash, Leon Russell, Ray Charles, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, U2, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Mickey Raphael, Merle Haggard, Ray Charles, Ray Price, Julio Iglesias