Andrew Smith
Continuing in the tradition of mainstream country singers who have recorded “Bluegrass” albums – from Rose Maddox (Sings Bluegrass, 1962), Porter Wagoner (The Bluegrass Story, 1964), George Jones and Melba Montgomery (Bluegrass Hootenanny, 1964) through Carl Smith (Sings Bluegrass, 1971), Buck Owens’ album of Bluegrass standards (Ruby, 1971), the award winning Dolly Parton (The Grass Is Blue, 1999), Steve Earle (The Mountain, 1999), Patty Loveless (Mountain Soul, 2001, Bluegrass & White Snow: A Mountain Christmas, 2002), then to Merle Haggard (Bluegrass Sessions, 2007) and Bill Anderson (Whisperin’ Bluegrass, 2007) – comes this 2023 release from Willie Nelson: Bluegrass, following a YouTube video of Willie with Bluegrass guitar ace, Billy Strings. Recording Bluegrass-style projects is, it seems, almost as mandatory as releasing gospel albums!
But whereas Rose, Porter, Carl, George and Melba, and Buck recorded Bluegrass standards, and Steve sang “traditional slabs of Bluegrass” (with the assistance of one-time Bluegrass Boy, Del McCoury), Patty and Dolly (to some extent), Bill, Merle, and now Willie appear to have used the term “Bluegrass” to describe instrumental accompaniment without necessarily singing songs commonly associated with Bluegrass music, and certainly not in a high, lonesome voice.
Instead, they’ve recorded mainly their own songs with acoustic accompaniment. Hence, you won’t hear Bluegrass standards like Bill Monroe’s My Little Georgia Rose or The Osborne Brothers’ Rocky Top on Willie’s album.
Instead, Willie coasts through a selection of his own songs, like Yesterday’s Wine, Bloody Mary Morning, On The Road Again, and You Left Me A Long, Long Time Ago, with solid acoustic backing by the likes of Barry Bales (bass), Ron Block (banjo), Rob Ickes (Dobro), Josh Martin, Bobby Jerry and Willie himself (guitar), Aubrey Haynie (fiddle), Seth Taylor and Dan Tyminski (mandolin), and Mickey Raphael (from Willie’s own band, harmonica).
Bales, Block and Tyminski have links with Alison Krauss’ band, Union Station and Willie and Alison toured together in 2014. The album was produced by Buddy Cannon, whose plan was to rework some of Willie’s old songs with Bluegrass pickers.
Accordingly, Willie performs in a relaxed, seemingly effortless style, with a low-key delivery enabling him to coast through each number with ease, especially appropriate given his age (90).
Bluegrass is played a little in front of the beat, but Willie sings behind the beat, according to Bales, and thereby he introduces some “tension” into the music. There’s none of Willie’s solos on “Trigger,” either – his guitar playing is far removed from the likes of, say, Tony Rice, Doc Watson, or Clarence White – though he’s listed as playing acoustic (rhythm) guitar.
Whether you consider this Bluegrass or not probably depends on your musical tastes. Bluegrass afficionados will most likely regard the album as mainstream country with Bluegrass-style accompaniment – whereas fans of mainstream country music might consider the album as Bluegrass, although it’s unlikely to inspire them to rush out and buy albums by the likes of Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, and Charlie Moore. Then again, not all contemporary Bluegrass is hard-driving and traditional in style.
I enjoyed the album as it is, without fretting over whether it’s Bluegrass or acoustic mainstream country – after all, we’re told that “music has no fences.” The backing is dependably solid, and to my ears it’s more easy-listening music than intense Bluegrass, but enjoyable just the same.
Willie Nelson – Bluegrass
1. No Love Around
2. Somebody Pick Up My Pieces
3. Good Hearted Woman (cowritten with Waylon Jennings)
4. Sad Songs And Waltzes
5. Home Motel
6. You Left Me A Long, Long Time Ago
7. Yesterday’s Wine
8. Bloody Mary Morning
9. Slow Down Old World
10. Still Is Still Moving To Me
11. On The Road Again
12. Man With The Blues
