Williefest

In this week's Book Review, Robert Hilburn reviews a new biography of Willie Nelson and shares some personal reminiscences of the musician. While I haven't read the biography, "Willie Nelson: An Epic Life" by Joe Nick Patoski, I was perplexed that the review skipped some of Nelson's darker moments -- a $16.7-million bill for back taxes from the Internal Revenue Service in 1990, the 2006 pot bust. His political activism gets short shrift too (Nelson was one of the founders of Farm Aid and is such a proponent of biodiesel that he's got his own line, BioWillie).  But none of that would matter if it weren't for the music; these videos of Nelson (who turns 75 on April 29) span almost 40 years.

"Hello Walls" with Glen Campbell -- 1969 (with short hair!)

"Whiskey River/Stay All Night" -- His Fourth of July picnic 1974 (click for video, which is not entirely safe for work -- the audience includes at least one happy shirtless woman and people can be seen smoking hand-rolled "cigarettes")

"On the Road Again" -- 1980

"Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" with the Highwaymen (Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson) -- late 1980s

"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" -- 1990

"Pancho and Lefty" with Bob Dylan -- 1993

"Bloody Mary Mornin' " with the Supersuckers -- 1996

"I Never Cared for You" from "Teatro" -- 1998 (click for video)

"Crazy" with Diana Krall and Elvis Costello -- 2003

"Gravedigger" with Dave Matthews -- 2007 (click for video)

-- Carolyn Kellogg