Legends of the Grand Ole Opry: Willie Nelson Singing His Hits Live (1964-1967)

Legends of the Grand Ole Opry: Willie Nelson Singing His Hits Live (1964-1967)

There isn’t much for me to say about this album except “Buy it!” The liner notes by Colin Escott are informative, but they say next to nothing about the personnel on these live recordings. The only bit of information I could glean is that Jimmy Day is on steel and Wade Ray on fiddle. I can’t believe these recordings aren’t better known and don’t appear on any of the major compilations. This album may be the best hidden gem find of the year. Willie’s vocals are as good as they get, and the backing is spare. A touch of drums, steel, bass, and fiddle with the vocals front and center. This album also captures Willie’s sound at an important juncture in his career: 1964-1967. “Part Where I Cry” sounds like it could be on one of his early demo sessions. It ranks up there with that raw performance of “Opportunity to Cry” on “Crazy: The Demo Sessions.” Willie acknowledges David Parker on guitar on “I Never Cared for You.” Later Willie states that Perry Como recently recorded “My Own Peculiar Way,” but Perry couldn’t sing it like this. This album features several five-star versions of classic Willie songs: “Family Bible,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” and “Healing Hands of Time.” Wade Ray’s fiddle solo on “There’ll Be No Teardrops Tonight” ranks with the best of Johnny Gimble’s solos. This version of “Healing Hands of Time” may be Willie’s best. Ditto for this version of “One Day at a Time.” Again, I have already commented on the lyrics for each of these songs in previous blogs, and I have already said that many of these live versions may very well be Willie’s best takes, so there isn’t much else to say. “She’s Not for You” also sounds like a demo cut. Out of the hundred or so albums I have reviewed, I can’t think of another album that gets as close to the raw Willie sound as this and “Crazy: The Demo Sessions.” I knew this album would make my Untenable Top Ten as soon as I heard the first track. Speaking of my Untenable Top Ten, it has now reached 30:

Untenable Top Ten

Crazy: The Demo Sessions

Stardust (1978)

Storytellers (1998)

Spirit (1996)

Who’ll Buy My Memories (1991)

Yesterday’s Wine (1971)

Teatro (1998)

Red-Headed Stranger (1975)

Me and the Drummer (2000)

Night and Day (1999)

Honeysuckle Rose (1980)

The Sound in Your Mind (1976)

Last of the Breed (2007)

To Lefty From Willie (1977)

Willie and Ray (2005)

Healing Hands of Time (1994)

The Great Divide (2002)

The Early Years (2 cds)

The Ghost (3 cds)

One Hell of a Ride (4 cds)

Born for Trouble (1990)

Moment of Forever (2008)

The Promiseland (1986)

Willie and Family Live (1978)

Tougher Than Leather (1983)

Country Music (2010)

It Always Will Be

Singin’ with Willie (2004)

Old Friends (1982)

Legends of the Grand Ole Opry: Willie Nelson Singing His Hits Live (1964-1967)