Stardust (Willie Nelson album)
Occupation
- Vocal / Guitar: Willie Nelson
- Guitar: Jody Payne
- Piano: Bobbie Nelson
- Organ / Piano: Booker T. Jones
- Harmonica: Mickey Raphael
- Bass: Chris Etheridge ( " Bee Spears" )
- Drums: Paul English, Rex Ludwig
Stardust is a cover album of country singer Willie Nelson. It was released in 1978 and produced by Booker T. Jones.
Genesis
1977 Willie Nelson surprised the managers at Columbia Records with the announcement, record a pure cover album with pop songs from the 1950s. Rick Blackburn tried to dissuade the successful country singers of it, since he saw no commercial potential for the album. Nelson, who was on a high point of his career, would ignore the warnings, since his contract guaranteed him complete creative control. Nelson replied to the objections: " Why be predictable? " (Such as: " Why be predictable ").
With Booker T. Jones, formerly organist of the Soul and instrumental music group Booker T. & the MG's, he chose also an unconventional producer for his project, because Jones was more specialized in R & B. Together, they developed a list of ten standards in the style of Ray Charles first steps together. In addition to producing Jones also took several organ and piano passages on the album.
In retrospect, Willie Nelson described the collaboration as a must. Nelson was not sure what direction should the music and needed a " guiding hand " in the studio. Willie Nelson played a majority of the songs together with his then live band in Brian Ahern's recording studio in Los Angeles. As a guest musician appeared on Nelson's sister Bobbie Nelson, who knew some of the songs from her work as a lounge pianist. Mickey Raphael playing a harmonica.
The album cover shows a blue starry sky, which was drawn by Susanna Clarke, the wife of Texas songwriter Guy Clark.
Success and reception
Nelson played the songs not unchanged after, but transformed the pop songs in country music, without, however, completely reinterpret the original. The album established Nelson finally as a spearhead of the Outlaw movement. When the album was released in 1978, it was able to build on the success of his previous albums. Three singles were able to place at number one on the country singles chart and the album reached number one on the country album charts and number 30 of the U.S. Billboard 200 charts. A re-release in 1983 was aboard the plate again in the country album charts.
Overall, the album was two years in the Billboard charts and ten years in the U.S. country charts. The album received five times platinum album, sold more so in the United States over five million copies and is Nelson's most successful album. 1979 was Willie Nelson for his interpretation Georgia on My Mind a Grammy for " Best Male Country Vocal Performance."
Title list
Singles
Georgia on My Mind was the first single from the album. The original was recorded by Frankie Trumbauer, the best known version is by Ray Charles. Nelson's version placed on the top position of the Billboard Country Songs. Hoagy Carmichael, one of the authors of the piece, was recorded as 79 years with his first hit in the country charts.
Blue Skies, the second single of the album comes from Irving Berlin, who was still alive as well as Carmichael and was able to record his first number-one hit on the country charts with 90 years.
All of Me, the third single, also rose to No. 1 on the country charts. Dating in the original by Louis Armstrong piece was performed by Willie Nelson in the style of Django Reinhardt.
September Song, originally written by Kurt Weill for the musical Knickerbocker Holiday, reached number 15 on the country charts.
Reissues
1999 appeared the album with two bonus tracks in the CD format.
In 2008, during the 30th anniversary, Sony BMG Music Entertainment released the album as a double - CD edition with 16 tracks of other Nelson Publications ( More from the Great American Songbook ), which also fit into the concept of Stardust.