Live at Billy Bob's Texas

Willie Nelson

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Live at Billy Bob's Texas Review

by Thom Jurek

One of the biggest boons of the Live at Billy Bob's Texas series of recordings has been the sheer sonic quality of their recordings, combined with loose, unpretentious performances by the artists contracted. By these standards it makes sense that a Willie Nelson date at Billy Bob's would be something very special. And special it is, but not in any way fans would welcome or expect. This is easily the most substandard and poorly recorded officially released live date of Nelson's entire career. While that's a drag, it would be forgivable if this weren't his most uninspired and cynical performance on record as well. Nelson and his band run through their hits as if they were a medley without inspiration or regard for a fanatical audience, and no regard for one another as musicians -- timing is off, instruments are out of key, vocal harmonies are all but nonexistent. This set seems to be a showcase for what a "great" guitar player Nelson is. His nearly atonally tuned acoustic is so loud it dwarfs the rest of the band. To make it worse, there is a bonus DVD that proves the point, displaying a bored-looking Family band whose members can't wait to get off the stage. This is inexcusable from a veteran like Nelson, who has been undergoing a creative renaissance these past eight years. It is an insult and a betrayal to loyal fans; consumers should avoid it like the plague.

Track Listing - Disc 1

	Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
1	Whiskey River Johnny Bush / Paul Stroud	Willie Nelson	02:18	Spotify Amazon
2	Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer) Tommy Duncan / Bob Wills	Willie Nelson	02:41	Spotify Amazon
3	Good Hearted Woman Waylon Jennings / Willie Nelson	Willie Nelson	03:33	Spotify Amazon
4	Funny How Time Slips Away Willie Nelson	Willie Nelson	03:08	Spotify Amazon
5	Crazy Willie Nelson	Willie Nelson	01:34	Spotify Amazon
6	Night Life Walt Breeland / Paul Buskirk / Willie Nelson	Willie Nelson	03:38	Spotify Amazon
7	Down Yonder Louis Wolfe Gilbert	Willie Nelson	01:57	Spotify Amazon
8	Workin' Man Blues Merle Haggard	Willie Nelson	03:25	Spotify Amazon
9	Help Me Make It Through the Night Kris Kristofferson	Willie Nelson	03:22	Spotify Amazon
10	Me and Bobby McGee Fred Foster / Kris Kristofferson	Willie Nelson	03:18	Spotify Amazon
11	Me and Paul Willie Nelson	Willie Nelson	02:49	Spotify Amazon
12	If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time) Jimmy Beck / Lefty Frizzell	Willie Nelson	02:02	Spotify Amazon
13	Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain Fred Rose	Willie Nelson	02:57	Spotify Amazon
14	Under the Double Eagle Traditional	Willie Nelson	03:10	Spotify Amazon
15	Blue Skies Irving Berlin	Willie Nelson	03:12	Spotify Amazon
16	Georgia on My Mind Hoagy Carmichael / Stuart Gorrell	Willie Nelson	03:13	Spotify Amazon
17	All of Me Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons	Willie Nelson	02:04	Spotify Amazon
18	Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys Ed Bruce / Patsy Bruce	Willie Nelson	02:37	Spotify Amazon
19	Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground Willie Nelson	Willie Nelson	03:33	Spotify Amazon
20	On the Road Again Willie Nelson	Willie Nelson	02:14	Spotify Amazon