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Willie Nelson: An Epic Life
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Willie Nelson: An Epic Life arrives as a must have book for everyone with an interest in Willie Nelson or the Willie Nelson life style. Willie Nelson exemplifies a legendary way of life too often obscured by myth and innuendo.
Willie Nelson as portrayed in Willie Nelson: An Epic Life leads a life in the music industry through the most turbulent decades of its history. Willie Nelson participated in Country Music’s invasion of Pop.
Willie Nelson: An Epic Life shows Willie Nelson in the center of introducing Jazz and Rock’N’Roll influences upon Country Music. This is the part of Willie Nelson’s life that I wish Willie Nelson: An Epic Life explored in greater depth.
The shear volume of details about Willie Nelson is as to be expected in a nearly 500 page book about his life. Willie Nelson: An Epic Life tells us of many of the ups and downs in the life of Willie Nelson.
While many of the general circumstances of Willie Nelson’s life seem to be widely known, Willie Nelson: An Epic Life fills in many of the gaps. However, I cannot help but feel that there are still many stories left unpublished if not untold.
Be that as it may, it seems to me that if someone were to write about the music of Willie Nelson in an equally comprehensive manner then we would have something much more than a celebrity biography.
Sure, Willie Nelson leads a life full of titillating adventures, a truly amazing life, and Willie Nelson: An Epic Life represents it in a seamless narrative. For this reason alone Willie Nelson: An Epic Life is well worth its price.
I suppose I just didn’t get my questions answered.
To the best of my knowledge no one has comprehensively examined and explained the phrasing and timing Willie Nelson uses when he sings and why some other musicians consider it a challenge to perform his songs the way he does.
I wanted to know more about the details of the musical influences on Willie Nelson and how they are evident in his music.
I wanted to finish the book with a greater understanding of how Willie Nelson stands with the other greats of American music.
The deceptively simple Country Music songs betray Willie Nelson’s long study of music and his intimate knowledge of his musical roots and its impact on his performance style. Willie Nelson plays with this full knowledge without letting it get in the way of the music.
I wanted to know more about how Willie Nelson does it and gain a greater understanding of how Willie Nelson experiences music.
Without a doubt the influence of Willie Nelson on American music has been profound, continues to evolve and presents us with a living treasure to be appreciated in a plethora of subtle nuances. It’s nice to get his wives’, children’s and friends’ names and histories figured out but unraveling Willie Nelson’s complex musicality would be an entertaining accomplishment.
Unfortunately I lack the musical background to do the work of Willie Nelson justice. But some writer out there must have a comprehensive appreciation of both music history and the work of Willie Nelson.
I hope to see that book too.
Willie Nelson: An Epic Life is a pleasure to read with a wide appeal to many. Everyone will learn something about Willie Nelson that they didn’t know before. I recommend it to all.
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May 13th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
i’ve not yet read this book, but i wanted to comment on jay’s post, specifically the questioon he has on the phrasing and timing willie uses when he sings and why other musicians consider it a challenge to perform his songs the way he does. i do believe i have an answer for this question. when willie sings, he sings, always, from the soul. i believe that a piece of that soul is given back to the music - thus the music IS willie, and willie IS the music. music has been a vital part of my life in one way or another since i began playing the piano 50 years ago. i have both listened to, and appreciated all the genre, but i don’t know that i have ever seen, or heard anyone with more depth of understanding of music in all it’s forms than this man. there is definitely more to this willie nelson than just his music, but when he’s singing, willie becomes the music - and the music becomes willie.