WILLIE NELSON
Crazy - The Demo Sessions (Sugar Hill)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

---

In the early sixties, Willie Nelson's efforts as a songwriter were scoring hits for Ray Price, Faron Young, Patsy Cline and other country music stars, but his own efforts as a performer were largely, to be charitable, overlooked. His distinctive vocal style just didn't mesh with the countrypolitan arrangements of the day. On the other hand, he was filling reels of tape with demos which were simply intended as song pitches, and in the process defining the sound that would make him a performing superstar in the 70s'. As Willie himself said, "My demos were always better, I thought, than the records that came out." I've heard the records. I've heard the demos. Willie's right.

If you haven't heard the demos (and half the material on this collection has been unreleased anywhere, including one previously unheard song, "I'm Still Here"), this is your chance. This disc if full of classic Willie Nelson songs, including the original demo version that introduced Patsy Cline to "Crazy," and the folks at Sugar Hill have done a wonderful job of restoring and remastering the original two track demo tapes. With only a couple noticeable glitches, this material sounds like it could have been recorded for release in the first place. Eight of the cuts feature Nelson's voice and guitar unadorned, and the rest match him up with some of the era's top up and coming studio musicians, including Roy 'Junior' Huskey, Hargus 'Pig' Robbins, Buddy Emmons and others who would go on to increasing notoriety over the years.

This is one of those rare demo releases that's as satisfying musically as it is important historically, and a wonderful installment in the continuing legend of Willie Nelson.

Track List:

Opportunity To Cry * Three Days * Undo The Right * What Do You Think Of Her Now * I've Just Destroyed The World * Permanently Lonely * Are You Sure * Darkness On The Face Of The Earth * Things To Remember * A Moment Isn't Very Long * Crazy * The Local Memory * I Gotta Get Drunk * Something To Think About * I'm Still Here

© 2003 - Shaun Dale