How many outlaws are left?
No, nobody new died, but I just caught the Willie Nelson video “you don’t know me”, the Cindy Walker song made most popular here by Ray Charles- at least that’s the version I remember most.
I was never a huge country western fan, but I remember the Outlaws. Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Johnny Paycheck, Merle Haggard, David Allan Coe, Willie Nelson,Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joe Shaver…
If you watch the video, you see an old, old Willie. His hands look like my grandfather’s before he died. He’s not going to be around much longer.
His politics and dope smoking and income tax evasion aside, he’s had some real talent. He’s done some good work over the years,and his musicianship is damned good.
Watching that video seeing that guitar, the signatures on it, the pictures on the mirrors of his tour van… it’s an image of the artist as an old man. Go and watch, if you were ever a fan of the man or the song, and maybe while he’s still alive, sit down and write him a letter, thank him for the entertainment.
You exactly captured what I love about that video. Perfectly. And you’re right – I may not agree with him, but man-o-man does he have talent. And the outlaws? Yeah, gotta love those guys. But then again, I’ve always been a fan of the Bad Boys.
Give me Waylon! Oh wait, dead. Bummer.
My folks named their cats after those two. Willie and Waylon.
Here’s a story about Willie, told to me by a USAF troop who had no reason to lie about it….
Back in the mid ’80s, Willie Nelson was on tour, and happened to be driving the state highway (not the freeway) outside of Abilene, TX. His bus broke down.
Our storyteller was an enlisted mechanic who was assigned to the Vehicle Repair Facility (Motor Pool garage) at the big air base there, Dyess AFB, and he had just left work to go home.
He stopped, talked to Willie’s driver, eyeballed the back of the MCI bus (similar to a model that the USAF had in it’s fleet), and noted that it could probably be quickly repaired if it could be shopped.
He went back onto the base, and got his Superintendant to come out, and the Supt then called the Logistics Squadron CO, who authorized a heavy tow truck to come out for the bus.
All the other vehicles that supported the tour were invited onto the base. Several base mechanics got to work, and had the breakdown repaired in short order.
Willie Nelson, being very grateful, asked the Squadron CO if he could put on a little show to express his gratitude, and the CO agreed, so they cleared out the MoPoo garage and the roadies set up a small stage and the band’s equipment there, and Willie played a concert for those working the mid-shift.
You can say what you want, but I always thought he put every thing he had into it every time he played or sang.
That don’t s’prise me at all, Rivrdog.
I spect there’s a lot of folks have stories like that. And I also suspect that what you say is true, he puts 110% into each time. Hell, look at that guitar. Watch the video and look at the pictures stuck in the mirror.
Nice take of “You don’t know me” by Emmylou Harris on “Cowgirl prayer” if I recollect it right.
[…] And while you’re at it go watch some of the willie videos- like I mentioned here. […]