It's A Long Story by Willie Nelson

You may not be a fan of Willie Nelson, but he is a true artist and icon of American music. When I say true artist, I mean someone who continues the craft regardless of success or failure, the music surmounts all that, and he is releasing his best works as he gets older. This is an excellent autobiography, co-written with David Ritz, yet maintaining Willie's voice.

Starting out selling door-to-door while DJ-ing on the side, he moved his wife and family from Texas to Oregon before his songwriting skills got noticed. Patsy Cline making a hit out of 'Crazy', Roy Orbison singing 'Pretty Paper', Ray Price signing 'Night Life' and Billy Walker singing 'Funny How Time Slips Away'. Vocally, Willie was an original, always just ahead or behind the beat. By 1964 he was recording his own style that continues today. If you are a fan of classic country, there are stories about the early days at the Opry and creating the hits 'Mama, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys', and 'On The Road Again'. I think his versions of 'Georgia' and 'Graceland' are classics, with my favourite album of his being 'Across The Borderline' - his delivery is understated and clean, honed by years of storytelling.

His years in the business brought as much failure as success, a fact Willie doesn't seem to bothered about. He just keeps creating and evolving. This autobiography (his second), is heartfelt and entertaining, focused on his career as a songwriter in the business first. I am a really big fan of his - if you are interested in music, or entertainers - it's recommended.

If you aren't, this obviously isn't for you.

Willie is still recording and releasing albums into his eighties (his cover of Vince Gill's 'Whenever You Come Around' from the Band of Brothers CD is amazing.) His voice just gets better as time just slips away.

2015 / Hardcover / 392 pages