ARTIST: Willie Nelson
TITLE: Country Favorites – Willie Nelson Style
YEAR RELEASED: 1966
CHART ACTION: #9 Country
SINGLES: San Antonio Rose (#50 Country), Columbus Stockade Blues
OTHER SONGS YOU MAY KNOW: Heartaches by the Number
LINEUP: Willie Nelson, Buddy Charleton, Jack Drake, Jack Greene, Wade Ray, Leon Rhodes, Hargus Robbins, Cal Smith, James Wilkerson
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT: Known more as a songwriter, Willie records a lot of contemporary country standards to make his name as a performer.
SOME WORDS, PHRASES AND CLAUSES ABOUT THIS RECORD: Willie Nelson was well known as a songwriter. He landed a lot of cuts on records, and wrote some big hits. But as a performer, he was still relatively unknown. His voice, to the ears of country fans in the 60’s, was ‘unusual’.
Gathering Bob Willis’ backing band, Nelson cut 12 country songs that were well known at the time and garnered a hit album on the country charts. The songs range from up-tempo Texas swing, to sentimental ballads.
Nelson’s tenor works better on the ballads, and those were the most effective cuts on the album. It’s a short record, and more interesting than vital, but it’s one that Nelson fans should have.
NOTES & MINUTIAE: At the time, Nelson was a regular on Bob Willis’ television program, which no doubt goosed album sales.
IS THERE A DELUXE VERSION: No
GRADE: B: Good performances of classic country in a classic country motif.