Shotgun Willie: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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==Background==

In April 1972, after Nelson recorded "Mountain Dew", his final [[RCA Records]] single. The label requested Nelson to renew his contract ahead of schedule, and informed him that they would not release any further recordings if he did not sign. Nelson's manager, Neil Reshen, negotiated an agreement with RCA Records to end the contract upon return of US$1,400 that the singer had been overpaid.{{sfn|Reid|2004|pp=223–224}} By that time, Nelson had left Nashville and he moved to [[Austin, Texas]]. Austin's burgeoning hippie music scene at venues like [[Armadillo World Headquarters]] rejuvenated the singer. His popularity in Austin soared as he played his own brand of music that was a blend of country, folk, and jazz influences.{{sfn|Reid|2004|p=79}} Nelson had felt creatively hamstrung by RCA's strict recording practices and frustrated at not being permitted to use his touring band in the studio. In 2015, Nelson remembered his move to Austin: "I liked this new world. It fit me to a T. I never did like putting on stage costumes, never did like trim haircuts, never did like worrying about whether I was satisfying the requirements of a showman. It felt good to let my hair grow. Felt good to get on stage in the same jeans ~~I’d~~I'd been wearing all damn day.”{{sfn|Nelson|Ritz|2015|page=[https://archive.org/details/itslongstorymyli0000nels/page/215 215]}}

During a trip to [[Nashville, Tennessee]], Nelson attended a party in [[Harlan Howard]]'s house, where he sang the songs that he had written for the album ''[[Phases and Stages]]''. Another guest was [[Atlantic Records]] vice-president [[Jerry Wexler]], who previously had produced works for artists such as [[Ray Charles]] and [[Aretha Franklin]]. Wexler was interested in Nelson's music, so when Atlantic opened a country music division of their label, he offered Nelson a contract that gave him more creative control than his deal with RCA.{{sfn|Kienzle|2003|pp=250–251}} When Nelson asked Wexler if he was worried about the music not being commercial, Wexler replied, "Fuck commerce. You're going for art. You're going for the truth."{{sfn|Nelson|Ritz|2015|page=[https://archive.org/details/itslongstorymyli0000nels/page/220 220]}} In his autobiography Nelson later recalled, ""I'd never heard a record man talk that way. On the spot, I decided that Wexler was my man."{{sfn|Nelson|Ritz|2015|page=[https://archive.org/details/itslongstorymyli0000nels/page/220 220]}} When Nelson was released from his RCA contract, he signed with Atlantic for US$25,000 per year, becoming the label's first country artist.{{sfn|Reid|2004|p=224}}

==Recording==

The recording sessions took place in February 1973.{{sfn|Inter Pub|1994|p=169}} Wexler provided Nelson and [[Family (Willie Nelson's band)|his band]] with a studio in [[New York City]], where most of the recordings were produced.<ref name="chronicle"/> Additionally, parts of the album were recorded in the [[Quadraphonic]] studios in Nashville, as well as in the [[Phillips Recording|Sam Phillips Recording studio]] in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]].{{sfn|Nelson, Willie|1973}} [[Doug Sahm]] and his band were also invited to the New York sessions.{{sfn|Reid|2004|p=224}} During the first session, Nelson recorded the songs for ''[[The Troublemaker (album)|The Troublemaker]]''. Later, he proceeded with ''Shotgun Willie''.<ref name="chronicle">{{cite web|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2008-01-18/582336/|title=Sister Bobbie|author=Freeman, Doug|date=January 18, 2008|access-date=June 12, 2012|work=The Austin Chronicle|publisher=Austin Chronicle Corp.}}</ref>

{{Listen |filename=Shotgun Willie.ogg|title="Shotgun Willie introduction" |description=Introduction of the song "Shotgun Willie", opening track of the album.}}

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[[File:Willie Nelson Atlantic Records 1974 - Cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|Nelson featured on a publicity portrait for Atlantic Records]]

Most of the tracks were produced by [[Arif Mardin]], with the exception of the two [[Bob Wills]] and His [[Texas Playboys]] covers, "[[Stay a Little Longer|Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)]]" and "Bubbles in My Beer," which were produced by Mardin and [[Jerry Wexler]].{{sfn|Ertegun|Richardson|2001|p=542}} In his biographical book about Nelson, Joe Nick Patoski noted that the recording of the album "was sloppy and chaotic, technically and artistically uneven, with horns and strings occasionally bumping up against the musical core of Bee Spears, [[Paul English (drummer)|Paul English]], [[Bobbie Nelson]], Jimmy Day, and Willie...The music was more country than what was being played on the radio but somehow different. If there were slips and flubs, they stayed in."{{sfn|Patoski|2008|pp=252–253}} The album included Johnny Bush's [[Whiskey River]]".,{{sfn|Reid|2004|p=224}} which later became Nelson's show opener. Nelson remembered in his autobiography: "In 1972, Johnny Bush called me with part of a song ~~he’d~~he'd written with Paul Stroud. I took the song the way it was but adapted it to my style, which was more blues than rock."{{sfn|Nelson|Ritz|2015|page=209}} ''Shotgun Willie'' also contained "[[A Song for You]]," written by [[Leon Russell]]. The song would ~~became~~become a number often performed by Nelson. Nelson added: "He knocked me out...I understood how his image – with his crazy stovepipe hat and dark aviator glasses – added to his mysterious allure. Beyond the mystery, though, I heard that his musical roots and mine were the same: [[Hank Williams]], Bob Wills, country black blues..."{{sfn|Nelson|Ritz|2015|page=[https://archive.org/details/itslongstorymyli0000nels/page/192 192]}}

Nelson later declared that with Wexler's producing he "cranked out songs, one after the other" and that "the atmosphere was right". The singer added: "I felt free to tap into my imagination, no hold barred".{{sfn|Nelson|Ritz|2015|page=223}} During the recording, there were rumors that there would be appearances by [[George Jones]], [[Leon Russell]], and [[Kris Kristofferson]] that ultimately did not happen. [[Waylon Jennings]] joined the backing band playing guitar, and provided backing vocals for "Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)", along with [[Jessi Colter]] and Doug Sahm.{{sfn|Reid|Sahm|2010|pp=105–106}} Several journalists were on attendance during the recording. Ed Ward from ''Creem'' later commented: "I'd underestimated the professionalism of all concerned, not to mention the core ensemble of musicians themselves, who decided to test the sound of the studio with a spirited version of 'Under the Double Eagle,' which left me awestruck: Willie wasn't only a great songwriter, he was a goddamn virtuoso on that battered Martin guitar of his!"{{sfn|Streissguth|2013|p=111}}

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''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the album "flawless" and considered that Nelson "finally demonstrates why he has for so long been regarded as a Country & Western singer-songwriter's singer-songwriter". The reviewer concluded: "At the age of 39, Nelson finally seems destined for the stardom he deserves".<ref name="Rolling Stone">{{cite news|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/shotgun-willie-19730830|title=Review: Willie Nelson – Shotgun Willie|author=Ditlea, Steve|date=August 30, 1973|access-date=September 4, 2011|work=Rolling Stone|publisher=Wenner Media LLC}}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]] wrote: "This attempt to turn Nelson into a star runs into trouble when it induces him to outshout Memphis horns or Western swing."<ref name="CG"/> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' wrote: "This is Willie Nelson at his narrative best. He writes and sings with the love and the hurt and the down-to-earth things he feels, and he has a few peers."<ref name="Billboard">{{cite journal|title=Billboard's Top Album Picks – Country Picks|journal=Billboard|date=June 23, 1973|volume=85|issn=0006-2510|page=76|publisher=Emmis Communications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GAkEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22shotgun%20willie%22&pg=PA76|access-date=September 21, 2011|issue=25}}</ref> ''[[Texas Monthly]]'' praised Nelson and Wexler regarding the change in musical style:"They've switched his arrangements from Ray Price to Ray Charles—the result: a revitalized music. He's the same old Willie, but veteran producer Jerry Wexler finally captured on wax the energy Nelson projects in person".<ref name="TexasMonthly">{{cite journal|title=The Coming of Redneck Hip|journal=Texas Monthly|date=November 1973|volume=1|page=75|issn=0148-7736|publisher=Emmis Communications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KywEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22shotgun%20willie%22&pg=PA75|author1=Roth, Don |author2=Reid, Jan |access-date=September 21, 2011|issue=10}}</ref>

The ''[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]'' started its review by declaring: "1973 could be the year country music 'rediscovers' Willie Nelson." Critic Bill McAllister mentioned the support that [[Texas Longhorns football]] coach [[Darrell Royal]] gave Nelson and his music. The reviewer determined that ''Shotgun Willie'' "displays unique musical abilities to excellent advantage" and remarked that Nelson was "often called the [[Cole Porter]] of country music".{{sfn|McAllister, Bill|1973|p=3-A}} The ''[[Arizona Republic]]'' presented Nelson as "an accomplished baritone and composer", as the publication appealed the readers to "lend old Shotgun an ear and find out what C&W music sounds like when it's not sung through the nose, or hat".{{sfn|Walker, Gus|1973|p=N-6}} The ''[[Philadelphia Daily News]]'' considered that the record had "some ups and downs" but that Nelson made the tracks "real winners". The publication deemed the singer "real country, not a hip version of it".{{sfn|Aregood, Rich|1973|p=43}}

The ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' delivered a favorable review. Critic Bob Talbert noted that Nelson and country songwriters as "authentic people poets". The reviewer described the content of the songs as written by "people-type people. Bleeders and boozers and dreamers and drinkers. Sad and joyous people."{{sfn|Talbert, Bob|1973|p=15-D}} ''[[School Library Journal]]'' wrote: "Willie Nelson differs (from) rock artists framing their music with a country & western façade — in that he appears a honky-tonk stardust cowboy to the core. This album abounds in unabashed sentimentalism, nasal singing, lyrics preoccupied with booze, religion, and love gone bad, and stereotyped Nashville instrumentation (twangy steel guitars, fiddles, and a clean rhythm section characterized by the minimal use of bass drum and cymbals, both of which gain heavy mileage with rock performers).{{sfn|Hoffmann|1973|p=49}}

[[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] wrote in his review for [[AllMusic]]: "Willie Nelson offered his finest record to date for his debut – possibly his finest album ever. Shotgun Willie encapsulates Willie's world view and music, finding him at a peak as a composer, interpreter, and performer. This is laid-back, deceptively complex music, equal parts country, rock attitude, jazz musicianship, and troubadour storytelling".<ref name="AM">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r93338|title=Shotgun Willie Overview|author=Erlewine, Stephen Thomas|work=Allmusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=September 5, 2011}}</ref> Nelson biographer Joe Nick Patoski writes that ''Shotgun Willie'' was Nelson's "creative declaration of independence."{{sfn|Patoski|2008|p=254}}