My Music Monday

Highways. BiWays, Freeways. Avenues. Lanes. and such. This is my last entry for the theme. 

For my cousin and his wife, I will commit a sin: I don't understand the appeal that is Willie Nelson. 

As a songwriter, I get it, he can be great at that (think Patsy Cline's "Crazy"). As a guitarist - meh. As a "vocalist", not so much. Even reading about Loretta Lynn's new album, she had to record her vocals on a duet with Willie and send it back to him. She said she couldn't sing with him or harmonize against his vocals. She had to have him harmonize with her. 

Yet, sometimes he works well with artists. Take the 1990 recording of Nanci Griffith's (whatever happened to her?) "Gulf Coast Highway" in which Nelson accompanied Emmylou Harris. 

It's one of those songs that has been in my rotation for decades. Both Harris and Nelson have distinctive voices that are like none other, so when you put them together it should totally work or totally fail. 

It actually works.