Willie Nelson - American Classic [Album]

EMI/Blue Note Records

August 25, 2009, 09:19 AM

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Not many people know this but other than being a huge fan of metal and rock music I do have a secret (well it was!) affinity for country music on the odd occasion. Artists such as Johnny Cash, Neil Young and the odd alt country such as Hank Williams III.

Willie Nelson however I knew only little bits about such as 'The Highwayman' track, 'On the Road Again' and his cover of 'You're Always On My Mind' so finding out that this album was more of a JAZZ record took me back a bit as I was thinking... Jazz?! Could Willie adapt to this well enough?

Turns out while doing some research that Willie Nelson experimented with Jazz once before with an album called 'Stardust' which did quite well all things considered. So could 'American Classic' replicate that? Willie can adapt to jazz quite easily, strange as it may sound, and when the record includes him doing Sinatra (another guilty pleasure) and carrying that off well it's a delight!

There are also duets with Norah Jones (who I first heard on a Mike Patton record) on a highly covered song in 'Baby It's Cold Outside' which, while it's a good duet it does sound like Willie's trying to go faster than Norah on vocals at times to me! The Diana Krall (for those that don't know her she is the wife of Elvis Costello) duet has more of a jazz feel to it [in my opinion] and is the better duet.

Of course no jazz album by Willie would be complete without a jazz version of that 'Always On My Mind' song and once again it demonstrates why Willie Nelson has made the song one of his best!
The album overall was a welcoming listen for me and if you can get over the initial 'Willie Nelson doing jazz' shock it's a very good album to relax to on a good day.

Highly recommended!

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