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Willie Nelson
From his first performance at age four, Willie Nelson was driven to make music and live life on his own terms. But though he is a songwriter of exceptional depth - "Crazy" was one of his early classics - Willie only found success after abandoning <st1:City w:st="on">Nashville</st1:City> and moving to <st1:place w:st="on"><...more
Hardcover, Large Print, 944 pages
Published
April 21st 2008
by Little, Brown & Company
(first published 2008)
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So far I'm loving this book because I learned a lot about this music legends childhood/teen years that I never knew. As he grows into his craft, though, the stories are pretty much what you would expect from The Red Headed Stranger, but they're still interesting stories.
I'm still not very far into the book. If you're a fan of this man, it's a great read. However, my knowledge of some of the country music artists he worked with (especially in the very early years) is not very prof...more
I'm still not very far into the book. If you're a fan of this man, it's a great read. However, my knowledge of some of the country music artists he worked with (especially in the very early years) is not very prof...more
I have loved Willie for years. A concert in Santa Clara in the 70s, where Terry sneaked me backstage afterward and I wound up kissing Willie, is a high point in my music-appreciation life. And yes, this book is a doorstop, with its extensive discography and loooooong sections about Willie's grandparents and parents...grands being important as his birth parents just flaked on him.
Interesting, confirmed many thoughts, answered many questions. Made me want to listen to some "Blue E...more
Interesting, confirmed many thoughts, answered many questions. Made me want to listen to some "Blue E...more
"I want the people around me to be happy, but I look at life as a roller coaster. When I'm up, I'm up. And when I'm down, I'm down. And I hope when it's all over, the money runs out just about the same time that I'm through with my life. Let's not plan. It's a lot more fun if we don't."
As the above words can attest, Willie Nelson’s first 75 years have been quite a ride. From playing for free in ramshackle dives all over Texas just to gain some exposure, to being one of the ...more
As the above words can attest, Willie Nelson’s first 75 years have been quite a ride. From playing for free in ramshackle dives all over Texas just to gain some exposure, to being one of the ...more
It is really interesting to learn about Willie. By reading this book, I'm torn between wanting to meet him because he is such a loyal friend and giving person and not allowing him to be an example for my children because he is so into drugs. He's definitely an enigma. I would really like this book much more if it didn't get so mired down in the details. Too many writers, too many singers, too many songs to be able to keep up. I guess the author needed to do that to a point in order to establish ...more
Finished. Finally. I wanted to love this book because I love Willie, and there were a number of gems of stories in this 500-pager. But the writing got in the way of my utter enjoyment. I can only describe it as disheveled. Ostensibly written chronologically, the stories jumped around in time. Characters would appear, disappear, and reappear suddenly with completely changed circumstances (divorced several times, dead, etc.). Lots of minute detail put into the less-than-interesting story lines (l...more
A monster of a book to read. At times, honestly, a little tedious. There are spots where it seems more a recitation of history than a biography. "Willie recorded such and such, and .......was the band, and ......was the producer, followed by a show at ...... with the ....band behind him"
You could fill in blanks there, put it all in an Appendix, and cut the size of the book by 100 pages.
Aside from that, a really well researched and fascinating book about a tru...more
You could fill in blanks there, put it all in an Appendix, and cut the size of the book by 100 pages.
Aside from that, a really well researched and fascinating book about a tru...more
Willie Nelson must be one of the most frustrating figures in musical history to write about. The man comes across as a bodhisattva. Even with his drinking and cheating ways, everyone who knows him, from ex-wives to the IRS falls for his quiet charm. There are a few pages right at the end of this doorstop where various members of Willie's extended musical family speak in reverent tones about the calming influence and sense of goodwill that the man radiates.
So yeah, this is a biog...more
So yeah, this is a biog...more
This tome is epic in length, too. It is a very thorough biography starting with Willie's first song lyrics at age 5. He began as quite the prodigy and, of course, continues making his magic now. The book follows every part of Willie's life and gives a microscopic view of life as a songwriter as well as life growing up in the rural farm life of early 20th C. Texas. If you are familiar with Austin from the '60's until now, it is a great trip down musical memory lane and the wild characters of t...more
I thought this book was excellent. I especially loved the sections about willie's parents and grandparents and the early, struggling, years. This was the period that I knew least about. Patoski also does an excellent job evoking the austin of the early to mid 1970s. Great sourcing at the end of the book--i really appreciate it when authors of non-academic, non-fiction and biographies include their sourcing. Finally, there is a good list of Patoski's recommendations to willie's recorded work,...more
WILLIE NELSON: AN EPIC LIFE
So I received the new biography on Willie Nelson in the mail. I did not know what to do, I like Willie but I tend to dislike celebrity bios, they are either fawning hagiographies or they are Kitty Kelly yellow journalist trash. Few books manage to hit in between, yet Willie Nelson: An Epic Life is one that hits the mark.
As I said earlier, I picked the book up with trepidation but after the first few pages I was hooked. I am not through yet, but so fa...more
So I received the new biography on Willie Nelson in the mail. I did not know what to do, I like Willie but I tend to dislike celebrity bios, they are either fawning hagiographies or they are Kitty Kelly yellow journalist trash. Few books manage to hit in between, yet Willie Nelson: An Epic Life is one that hits the mark.
As I said earlier, I picked the book up with trepidation but after the first few pages I was hooked. I am not through yet, but so fa...more
This is an amazing story. The writing is not great (and that's why I'm only giving this book 4 stars). But the story is incredible.
Anyone interested in the history of Texas Music or the history of Folk Music in the United States during the 20th Century will find this book informative. The book is also a treasure trove of 20th century Texas history and the country music record industry.
At the center of it all is Willie Nelson. A man whose glorious flaws are exceeded by...more
Anyone interested in the history of Texas Music or the history of Folk Music in the United States during the 20th Century will find this book informative. The book is also a treasure trove of 20th century Texas history and the country music record industry.
At the center of it all is Willie Nelson. A man whose glorious flaws are exceeded by...more
Another hard livin' Texan - 4 times married, pothead, his first wife smacked him in the head with a whiskey bottle, he got in a gunfight with his son-in-law, wrote Patsy Cline's seminal hit "Crazy", hung with Johnny Cash, Billie Joe Shaver and thousands of others. The IRS cried when they settled his tax problems. Like Keith Richards, if it weren't all true, it would be impossible to believe.
A thorough look at Willie's life and music. The author has been following and writing about Willie for the last 30 years. Some cool stories about how some pretty iconic music came to be and the crazy life that surrounded it. Willie fans will love it and I think everyone else will enjoy it.
I love Willie's music so I wanted to read this. It was a labor of love as it was very long and included everything he ever did! I did learn alot about his life and about the songs he wrote so I am glad I read it.
Interesting to those of us curious about Willie but all the music industry name dropping gets tedious for the casual fan.
While not exceptionally well-written, this book takes the reader on the tremendous journey that is Willie Nelson's life. At 75 years old, Willie Nelson has more than a few amusing stories to share. Not only did I gain a deep appreciation for the kindness and generosity behind the man (although don't get me started on his family life/lives), but I also learned about the musicians who influenced and played alongside him. I also learned a great deal about the history of music in Austin. A good ...more
A Willie-pedia. All you'll ever need to know about the singer-songwriter, the icon, the man.
An epic read, this book is aptly subtitled An Epic Life, which is what Willie has had since practically the day he was born. If you like Texas, Texas music, and of course Willie Nelson, then this book is for you.
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Found an old press preview copy at work while cleaning out some shelves. Score.
An excellent, frank, well-detailed account of Willie's life.
the third star is only b/c I'm a Willie fan.
Typically episodic. A few good laughs.
I never read biographies. I'm more of a memoir reader. I was bogged down at first by all the dates and names in the beginning. It took a while for the book to flow for me. I probably started enjoying reading this book when the 1970's started. Willie seems like such a cool person. I'm glad the writer didn't make him out to be a saint. He didn't get where he is by following the rules. I plan on buying some his music.
Go Willie! I have a long list of albums to check out now.
This was really good. The book is now out. It's a rip-roaring tale of how Willie became Willie, and was timed to come out for his 75th birthday which happens to be this week. I profiled the author Joe Nick Patoski for the Austin Chronicle. That article is here Last of a Breed
I was disappointed in this book. It's well researched, but doesn't have enough about WILLIE the person. If you want to know who he met when and who he played with where, you might like it. If, like me, you want to understand how he kept marrying the "other woman" he left his wife for, there isn't enough about that. Or his kids, really.
Hard to fit 75 years of life into one 500 page book. Hits on all of the highs and lows. Best section was the chapters on the Austin scene of the 70's and the Cosmic Cowboy movement that Willie originated. A scene that still defines Austin to this day. Willie is without a doubt one of the greatest American icons still alive today!
Exhausting but sycophantic.
I was really excited about this book, but just couldn't get into it. I found the writing style very stale and sections of the book just laundry lists of name dropping. A shame, there are some interesting stories. An overwhelming meh.
A very detailed book about Willie Nelson. If there is something you wanted to know about him, this book should talk about it. Almost 500 pages of information on the man. It did seem like a chore to read at points.
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