The Willie Nelson story is, at its heart, a story of evolution – constant adaptation to changing musical tastes, while remaining consistent to country music’s roots while bringing in new musical ingredients. In a career spanning nearly 60 years and 69 albums, Willie Nelson has certainly evolved as a performer and recording artist. 50 years ago, a young Nelson was one of the top hitmaking songwriters in Nashville, writing for country icons like Patsy Cline, Faron Young, and Ray Price.
By the 1980s, Nelson had reestablished himself again, this time as a country pop artist frequently appearing on the charts for both genres. Songs such as his cover of the classic “Always On My Mind” and “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before,” his collaboration with Julio Iglesias garnered Nelson Top 10 hits.
Now, at 86 years of age, Nelson seems perfectly content to settle in as one of country music’s elder statesmen. Nelson released Ride Me Back Home, produced by Nelson’s frequent collaborator and producer Buddy Cannon.
The title track is a slow ballad; it finds Nelson yearning for the good old days. Trigger, Nelson’s acoustic guitar that has been a fixture on his recordings for much of his career, features prominently here, and longtime bandmate Mickey Raphael’s harmonica also stands out. However, Ride Me Back Home also shows Nelson’s affinity for covers.
If you listened to AM radio in the 1970s, you’ll likely recognize the tune “Just the Way You Are.” It first appeared as one of the main singles on Billy Joel’s landmark 1977 album The Stranger. On this album, Nelson rearranges the tune; on the original version, the song is driven by a Fender Rhodes electric piano. Here, Nelson brings the whole band, with Raphael’s harmonica again adding a note of poignancy. It’s a different vibe from the original, and yet, the spirit of the tune remains firmly intact.
But perhaps the highlight of the album is Nelson’s cover of fellow country pioneer Guy Clark’s “My Favorite Picture of You.” Clark died after a lengthy battle with lymphoma in 2016, and Nelson’s cover of the title track from his old friend’s final 2013 album is touching, poignant, and incredibly moving. It’s one of two Clark covers on the album, with the other, the 1989 composition “Immigrant Eyes,” especially relevant in the modern political climate.
While Nelson has firmly established himself as a country superstar capable of writing serious, topical music, he’s also not afraid to let his hair down and have some fun. It’s a family affair on “It’s Hard to Be Humble,” where sons Lukas and Micah join their dad on a cover of the humorous 1980 Mac Davis tune; it’s obvious all three Nelson boys are having the time of their lives on this recording.
In keeping with the theme of looking back, Nelson revisits an obscurity from his back catalogue. “Stay Away from Lonely Places,” which originally appeared on Nelson’s 1972 album The Words Don’t Fit the Picture, features a jazzy piano-driven accompaniment. It’s a bit different from the original Felton Jarvis production, but it’s quite effective.
Ride Me Back Home captures a man who is still very much looking forward and creating fresh new music while fully embracing his own storied past. There’s no doubt that Ride Me Back Home is a good Willie Nelson album. In fact, it’s a great Willie Nelson album. But if it comes up short in the context of Willie’s best album, that’s merely a testament to the greatness of Nelson’s best albums, like Red Headed Stranger and Phases & Stages.
John Slights is a master's student in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, and a WUGA intern.