Maurice Hope – September 21, 2016 at 11:58AM
Tags:_AMERICANA
When it comes to establishing his own unique sound Willie Nelson has long been a master. Western swing not surprisingly comes easier than most forms to the country music veteran (and preferred to him dabbling in slow-paced jazz). The album is produced by Fred Foster and another old friend conductor / arranger Bergen White. Both worked on Ray Price’s final album, Beauty Is… and both records were recorded in Nashville’s Ocean Way Studio. Nelson and Price go a long way back, not just to performing with Merle Haggard in the trio Last Of the Breed the country stalwarts formed in the twilight of their respective careers but duets partners in the 1980s, this was around the time Willie was hooking up with anybody, and everybody and before that there was the time Nelson was struggling to make ends meet. Price for his part with his blend of American pop and country helped make the 12-songs on the record as famous and popular as they became.
Nelson eases through, with the help of Nashville dream team western swing ensemble The Time Jumpers; Vince Gill, Andy Reiss, Larry Franklin, Joe Spivey, Kenny Sears, Brad Albin, Billy Thomas, Jeff Taylor, Paul Franklin and from Willie’s Family band, long time friend, harmonica player Mickey Raphael.
The album’s title For the Good Times; A Tribute To Ray Price pretty much says it all, and with dancing fiddles, pedal steel, guitar, harmony vocals and chunky double-bass (plus Raphael’s harmonica) setting a the rhythm the likes of old favourite “I’ll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)” and other free-flowing tracks featuring The Time Jumpers, “Invitation To The Blues“, “City Lights” and “Crazy Arms” he soon had me drooling over the music big time.
There is more too from the band through the tender and no less beautiful heart-tugging ballad “Don’t You Ever Get Tired Of Hurtin’ Me”; who could resist that pedal steel, Nelson’s guitar, fiddle and delightful chugging beat (complete with harmonica and gentle rhythm).
Nelson may not be quite as impressive with harmony drenched “Make the World Go Away” and “For The Good Times” or for a song I have never got away with “Night Life” but this is made up and more through a sublime version of western swing classic “Faded Love”.
Steeped in wonderful pedal steel and strings plus Nelson’s unique guitar sound it is given the 5-star treatment. His version stands up to all the big hitters that have covered the song. Like with all songs on the record, the production and playing is immense, in some cases the latter takes the song to glories as good as anything previous.
Maurice Hope
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