Live From Austin, TX

by Willie Nelson

Overview

This date from 1990 features Willie Nelson and the Family Band in fine form. Live from Austin TX reflects so many of the audience and band favorites in such a hometown setting, it would be hard to imagine it not working like a charm. According to Austin City Limits producer Terry Lickona's brief liner notes, Nelson was the first-ever guest on the public television-syndicated program back in 1974 for its pilot episode. It wouldn't matter if Nelson sang nursery rhymes in front of this audience. But it's tight and well-rehearsed, yet there's more than a degree of spontaneity here in tracks like "Stay a Little Longer," with a killer Nelson guitar break and a tough rock & roll riff in the bridge. Then there's the medley of "Funny," "Crazy," and "Night Life" that's mercurial, slippery, and a tiny bit ragged. The reading of "Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)," here is choice, as is the live version of "Always on My Mind," a song that, remarkably, still has a lot of life in it despite its being performed countless thousands of times. The only drawback here is the sound. It's actually a bit disheartening considering how fine the performance is. One would have imagined that the sonics would have been fairly top-notch by 1990, but not so here. It's a bit flat and lifeless, kept alive only by the fiery performance of the band. Too bad. Though this is not one to recommend to someone getting started with Nelson, or a casual fan, hardcore fans will have to have this despite the shortcomings of fidelity. It's a good 'un. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	12/13/2024
Label:	New West Records
UPC:	0607396902811

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Willie Nelson   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Shelby Lynne   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Grady Martin   Guitar
Bobbie Nelson   Piano
Paul English   Drums
Mickey Raphael   Harmonica
Billy Gene English   Percussion
Jody Payne   Guitar,Vocals
Bee Spears   Bass

Technical Credits

Terry Lickona   Audio Production,Liner Notes
Paul Burskirk   Composer
Walt Breeland   Composer
Jerry Tubb   Mastering
Cameron Strang   Producer,Executive Producer
Mark James   Composer
Willie Nelson   Composer
Clare Surgeson   Project Coordinator
Kris Kristofferson   Composer
Jim Beck   Composer
Paul Buskirk   Composer
Beth Nielsen Chapman   Composer
Chet Himes   Mixing
Kokomo Arnold   Composer
Fred Foster   Composer
Fred Rose   Composer
Lefty Frizzell   Composer
Waylon Jennings   Composer
Wayne Carson   Composer
Johnny Christopher   Composer
Gary Briggs   Mixing,Producer
Tommy Duncan   Composer
John Christopher   Composer
Scott Newton   Photography
John Bush Shinn III   Composer
Chris Parker   Music Clearance
Johnny Bush Shinn Iii   Composer
Katherine Delaney   Package Design
Mary Jurey   Project Coordinator
Wayne Thompson   Composer