The indefatigable Willie Hugh Nelson turns 91 today. It would be a project unto itself to not only document his achievements, but to even attempt to outline every official album release under his own name or with others. In fact, he has a new album on the way toward the end of May, The Border, that is the 152nd of his career. Beginning May 10th, he has 40 dates booked, including those on his Outlaw Fest tour, kicking in late June through mid-September, with Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, John Mellencamp, Billy Strings, and Celisse. He is indefatigable.

One album of Willie’s albums stands out for me. It is one of his most under-appreciated, and least successful commercially. It is one of his greatest, and can stand proudly alongside Shotgun Willie, Red Headed Stranger, and Across the Borderline. It is 1996’s Spirit.

Spirit is a song cycle, much like 1974’s Phases and Stages, though significantly less orchestrated as produced by Jerry Wexler. Spirit‘s self-produced 10 original songs feature only rhythm guitar by Jody Payne, fiddle by the great Johnny Gimble (of Bob Wills fame who also appeared on Phases and Stages), and piano by Willie’s sister Bobbie. The album has a Spanish feel, and would make a perfect movie soundtrack. The instrumentals in particular set the mood: the opening “Matador,” “Mariachi,” and the closing “Spirit of E9.” The songs focus on a crumbling relationship, a loss of faith, forgiveness, and ultimately emerging replenished on the other side. Beginning with “She’s Gone,” he moves on to “I’m Not Trying to Forget You,” and even being so heartbroken that he is “Too Sick To Pray.” Tucked away right in the middle of the album is the sublime “I’m Waiting Forever,” signaling that maybe things are beginning to turn around. For Willie, “forever” is the time in between telephone calls.

Lastly, as if it even needs mentioning, is Willie’s magnificent guitar playing throughout, along with some of his purest, most unaffected vocals. The closing “Spirit of E9” show cases Willie, Gimble and Bobbie:

I saw Willie at this time, with this backing band, at The Supper Club on West 47th Street in NYC. I don’t recall if he played the album start to finish, but the majority of the album was performed. He played some of the hits as well, including the perfect “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.” Bob Dylan cut a version intended for Infidels in 1983, but it ended up as a B-side to “Sweetheart Like You.” Bob has admired Willie’s writing for decades, even quoting Willie’s line “I don’t know if I saw, if I would kiss you or kill you” in his Time Out Of Mind song “Standing in the Doorway.” Out of nowhere while on tour in Europe in 1984, Bob covered Willie’s “Why Do I Have To Choose.” That’s Mick Taylor on slide, and Carlos Santana takes a solo:

Today’s Playlist is a compendium of “Spirit” songs in honor of Willie Nelson’s 91st birthday and the album Spirit:

#WillieNelson #Spirit #BobDylan #Trigger #Santana #MickTaylor