One would have to have a very cold heart indeed if one didn’t like Willie
Nelson. The American icon is more then just his music; it’s more Willie’s
whole being, his stance, his return over and over again to concert stages here
and abroad that keep the long-haired gentle rebel in our hearts. All this and
more is evident on The Willie Nelson Special With Special Guest Ray
Charles DVD.
Filmed way back in the wild and dingy days of 1985, the years haven’t
tarnished what is basically a perfect one-hour set of notables such as “Whiskey
River,” “On The Road Again,” and six duets with the legendary
Ray Charles. It’s a rather well-manicured production, with few audience
reaction shots (my personal pet peeve). Instead, we get some nice camera work
through the small club setting, with great close-ups of Nelson and his band,
as well as Nelson and Charles sitting side by side at the piano doing their
thing.
Guitarist Jackie King joins in, most notably playing with Willie on the more
jazzy numbers like “My Window Faces The South” and “There
Will Never Be Another You.” Nelson’s read on “Who Will Buy
My Memories” is near letter-perfect. How can the man sing a song like
this, as he does so many times, and still make it sound this fresh. Oh wait,
this is Willie Nelson! But it’s the segment with Charles that’s
the real charmer here.
It begins with a smokin’ “Ray’s Improvisation,” which
finds Charles giving Nelson’s cracker-jack band a real work-out. Then
it’s Charles and Nelson singing a sweet “Angel Eyes” before
sitting side by side at the piano bench for the killer “Seven Spanish
Angels.” The along comes “I Can’t Stop Loving You” and
“Georgia On My Mind,” both capturing really sweet blend of Charles
and Nelson’s voices. There’s the requisite “To All The Girls
I Loved Before” and “Always On My Mind” rounding out what
makes up 14 songs. There’s really not much else to say about a concert
this extraordinary disc, except to add that The Willie Nelson Special
With Special Guest Ray Charles is indeed a special DVD from one of
our great American treasures.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
