Blue Eyes Cryin In The Rain

Willie Nelson distinguished in music field and beyond

By Eric Woods/Special to the Caller-Times

Forget the new term triple threat, country music icon Willie Nelson is not only a singer and songwriter, but also a producer, a movie and television actor and an activist.

As a musician, Nelson may have garnered a lot of gold and platinum, but as an activist he’s also raised a lot of green, especially with his efforts to assist farmers through Farm Aid events, his partnership to promote the usage of biodiesel and through his work as the co-chair of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas, in 1933 and showed promise as a musician early on as he wrote his first song at age seven and started playing local honky-tonks by age 13. Then his brother-in-law later invited Nelson to join his band, The Bohemian Fiddlers. At one time Nelson was even part of Ray Price’s touring band as a bass player. Price recorded one of Nelson’s songs, “Night Life.”

Nelson later joined the United States Air Force, but was discharged after only a few months due to chronic back problems. He then studied agriculture at Baylor University, but dropped out after two years to continue his music career.

Over the past six decades, Nelson has recorded numerous albums and has written hits such as “Funny How Time Slips Away” for Billy Walker, “Hello Walls” for Faron Young and the hit that really cemented his fame as a songwriter: “Crazy,” which was recorded by Patsy Cline.

As a performer in Nashville, Nelson went through the clean-cut cookie cutter country scene before finding himself moving to Austin in 1971, becoming one of the driving forces behind the evolving Austin music scene. At the time, Nelson started to experiment with his own style and vibe.

After some issues with label RCA, Nelson signed with Atlantic records and released his first album on the label in 1973 called, “Shotgun Willie.” Shortly after, Nelson released his concept album, “Phases and Stages,” which was included reflections on Nelson’s divorce. On one side of the record he sings from a man’s perspective and on the other side, a woman’s.

Nelson used the momentum he had built in Austin as well as the lessons learned from “Shotgun Willie” to move on to Columbia Records, recording the 1975 album, “Red Headed Stranger.” The album was immensely popular as well as a commercial success. Nelson recorded “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” which was a Fred Rose cover, on “Red Headed Stranger,” and it became a No. 1 hit.

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