Willie Nelson: I'm Crazy for Loving You

 

The Dossier One of the greatest Nashville songwriters of the early 1960s, writing hits like “Crazy” for Patsy Cline and “Hello Walls” for Faron Young. By the 1970s he had become the leading progenitor of outlaw country with songs like “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and “Bloody Mary Morning.” When his songwriting muse started to dry up, he became the country Frank Sinatra, covering classics old and new like “Always on My Mind” and “Blue Skies.” All told, 25 of his singles went to Number One on one chart or another, and he’s sold 40 million albums.

Any one of the three phases of Nelson’s career would have made him a legend; when you combine all three, it’s one of the most impressive and important bodies of work in American music.

Why I Should Vote for Him He has one of the most impressive and important bodies of work in American music. The history of country music is inconceivable without Willie Nelson. “Willie Nelson could, as they say, sing the phone book and make you weep,” Bob Dylan said. “He could also write the phone book.” He’s also a great guitarist: “You hear a Willie Nelson solo, he doesn’t play real fast, but it's so melodic and beautiful,” said John Densmore of the Doors. The Doors! “I don't have a favorite song that I've written,” said B.B. King. “But I do have a favorite song: 'Always on My Mind,' the Willie Nelson version. If I could sing it like he do, I would sing it every night.” B.B. King!

Snoop Dogg says the highest he has ever gotten was smoking with Willie Nelson, and I’m guessing there are a lot of instances in which Snoop Dogg has gotten high. Everybody loves Willie Nelson. Everybody.

I could list a lot more songs and albums, but you know all the high points. And he’s still out there, you know – there’s a massive 90^th birthday celebration coming up in April, with everyone from Neil Young to Miranda Lambert to Beck. Beck, you know, is inconceivable without Willie Nelson.

Why I Shouldn’t Vote for Him For many years, I have resisted voting for people whose career didn’t really have anything to do with rock & roll. I didn’t vote for Dolly Parton last year, even before she said she didn’t want the recognition. I didn’t vote for John Prine a few years back, a decision I now regret, because as great as John Prine was, he wasn’t a rock artist. And now he's dead. I didn’t vote for Joan Baez, which I still think was a good choice.

But the Rock Hall has clearly welcomed these people, and it’s time for me to give in. As an American musician, there is no way to withhold this recognition from Willie Nelson. The only reason not to vote for him is because he doesn’t have anything to do with rock & roll, and if that’s not a factor, the choice is clear.

The Verdict I am voting for Willie Nelson.