Willie Nelson - Mr. Record Man: The Early Singles As & Bs (2016)

Willie initially came to fame in the early 1960s as a songwriter rather than as a singer. However he had actually been recording since 1957, with no more than local success at best. However once better known singers started recording his songs on a regular basis, demand for his own recordings increased substantially. by the mid 1970s, he had become the biggest male vocalist in country music. 'Mr Record Man' contains the A and B sides of Willie's first 10 singles, presented chronologically, plus all the album only tracks from his first LP 'And Then I Wrote'. Among the highlights here are Willie's versions of many of the best known country classics of the early 1960s including "Crazy" (a hit for Patsy Cline), "Hello Walls" (Faron Young), "Night Life" (Ray Price) and "Funny How Time Slips Away" (Billy Walker / Jimmy Elledge). There are also a handful of duets with Shirley Collie, who became Willie's wife not long after they were recorded, including Willie's first country chart hit "Willingly". This compilation shows that Willie Nelson was never short of talent, even though many years would pass before that talent was fully appreciated outside of his peer group. 'Mr Record Man' is a musical testament to genius in the making. At the age of 82, Willie is still making new music and still touring, his marathon shows usually featuring many of the tracks contained in this essential CD. He truly is a 'Living Legend' of country music.