Willie Nelson - "Willie and Family Live" (1978)

Willie once said, “The biggest killer on this planet is stress" which might explain why he only really does two things, play music and golf. Well that and smoke a lot of pot. This laid back credo has kept the American Icon sharp witted and out there recording and touring for nearly half a century. His career has spanned numerous record labels, even more music genres, he's played with everyone from Johnny Cash to Snoop Dogg and on top of being a musician he's also a author, poet, outlaw, actor and activist. Here in 1978 Willie finds himself in beautiful Lake Tahoe with his extended touring family band bringing rowdy Texas barroom fun to the larger concert setting. Stream some of the highlights below and get out there on the road and see him live yourself! -- Chris Baginski

Disc 1

1. "Whiskey River" 3:39
2. "Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)" 3:25
3. "Funny How Time Slips Away" 2:44
4. "Crazy" 1:48
5. "Night Life" 4:07
6. "If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)" 1:31
7. "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys" 3:34
8. "I Can Get Off on You" 2:09
9. "If You Could Touch Her at All" 2:59
10. "Good Hearted Woman" 2:59
11. "Redheaded Stranger Melody"
12. "Under the Double Eagle"

Disc 2

1. "Till I Gain Control Again" 5:58
2. "Bloody Mary Morning" 3:33
3. "I'm a Memory" 1:49
4. "Mr. Record Man" 2:02
5. "Hello Walls" 1:29
6. "One Day at a Time" 2:01
7. "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" 2:09
8. "Amazing Grace" 5:13
9. "Take This Job and Shove It" 3:09
10. "Uncloudy Day" 3:41
11. "The Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line" 1:28
12. "A Song for You" 2:42
13. "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms" 1:57
14. "Georgia on My Mind" 4:08
15. "I Gotta Get Drunk" 1:22

See Willie On Tour

Justin Townes Earle - "Yuma" EP (2007)

Justin Townes Earle carries the names of two big figures in country-folk music. His middle name comes from Townes Van Zandt who never found mainstream success but influenced the likes of Neil Young, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, and Justin's father, Steve Earle. Here on Justin's debut he shows those names run deep and that he too can craft a powerful story in his own songs. Recorded by himself so he'd have something to sell on the road, the Yuma EP bottles up Justin on guitar, a sprinkling of mandolin and harmonica, a go with the wind grin, and a great sign of things to come. -- Chris Baginski

1. "The Ghost of Virginia" (3:39)
2. "You Can't Leave" (3:34)
3. "Yuma" (3:05)
4. "I Don't Care" (1:54)
5. "Let The Waters Rise" (2:43)
6. "A Desolate Angels Blues" (4:03)

see Justin live on Tour

Grooveshark Stream

Whiskeytown - "Pneumonia" (2001)

Before his solo debut in 2000, Ryan Adams fronted the North Carolina born band Whiskeytown. Pneumonia, the band's 3rd and final album, sat shelved for nearly two years after its recording due to Outpost Records folding during a label merger. It eventually saw the light of day and bridges Ryan's alt-country defining days in Whiskeytown with his bountiful songwriting output that spanned the last decade. Beneath both periods his band members changed as much as his perceived persona, but his drive to write honest, American music only increased. Here you can listen to him on the cusp of greatness on an album that's for sure a desert island necessity for me. Such artists gracefully command your attention with no more than a constant drive to express their soul, and once they have it, there's no mistaking such genuine endeavor from all else. -- Chris Baginski

1. "The Ballad of Carol Lynn" (3:04)
2. "Don't Wanna Know Why" (3:59)
3. "Jacksonville Skyline" (3:01)
4. "Reasons to Lie" (3:30)
5. "Don't Be Sad" (3:21)
6. "Sit & Listen to the Rain" (4:05)
7. "Under Your Breath" (3:28)
8. "Mirror, Mirror" (3:15)
9. "Paper Moon" (4:42)
10. "What the Devil Wanted" (3:38)
11. "Crazy About You" (2:46)
12. "My Hometown" (2:46)
13. "Easy Hearts" (5:08)
14. "Bar Lights" (3:56)

Waylon Jennings - "Waylon Live" (1976)

When country music started become too sugarcoated in the late 60's and early 70's, Waylon Jennings was among the first musicians to push for a rawer, back-roads style that became known as Outlaw Country. The gritty, answer-to-no-one back bone of the outlaw movement is personified by Jennings, along with other giants like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Merle Haggard. This recently remastered and expanded live album jumps from 9 tracks to 42, and captures Jennings and his band at the top of their collective game during the course of three Texas concerts in 1974. -- Chris Baginski

Disc One

1. "T For Texas (Blue Yodel #1)"
2. "Stop The World (And Let Me Off)"
3. "Lonesome On'ry And Mean"
4. "You Ask Me To"
5. "Louisiana Women"
6. "I'm A Ramblin' Man"
7. "Me An Paul"
8. "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way"
9. "Slow Rollin' Low"
10. "Rainy Day Woman"
11. "Good Hearted Woman"
12. "Mental Revenge"
13. "Amanda"
14. "This Time"
15. "Laid Back Country Picker"
16. "The Last Letter"
17. "Honky Tonk Heroes"
18. "Willie The Wandering Gypsy And Me"
19. "Donna On My Mind"
20. "We Had It All"

Disc Two

1. "Ladies Love Outlaws"
2. "Big Ball In Cowtown"
3. "Just To Satisfy You"
4. "Anita You're Dreaming"
5. "Big Big Love"
6. "Me And Bobby McGee"
7. "If You Could Touch Her At All"
8. "Bob Wills Is Still The King"
9. "Look Into My Teardrops"
10. "Long Way From Home"
11. "The Taker"
12. "Mississippi Woman"
13. "Mona"
14. "Never Been To Spain"
15. "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line"
16. "Freedom To Stay"
17. "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)"
18. "Pick Up The Tempo"
19. "Ain't No God In Mexico"
20. "House Of The Rising Sun"
21. "Band Intros"
22. "You Can Have Her"

Luckenback, Texas Video

Steve Young - "Seven Bridges Road" (1972)

It's funny how hard certain albums can be to track down these days. There are plenty of methods for acquiring music in the 21st Century but a decent amount of older music still remains out of print, having never moving past the age of vinyl, tapes, etc. But when you do eventually find a copy, it makes it that much sweeter to listen to. I came across Steve Young after noticing one of my favorite Waylon Jennings songs, Lonesome On'ry & Mean, was written by Young. I had no luck tracking the original Seven Bridges Road album down, but eventually found a limited edition (1000 copies issued) remastered version that was only released in South Korea. The songs are shuffled and it was put out with different album art, but it also contains eight previous unreleased songs not included on the 1972 version. Give this great album a listen to hear what was a major influence on the outlaw and alternative country movements that followed. -- Chris Baginski

1. Seven Bridges Road (3:37)
2. Montgomery In The Rain (4:08)
3. Ragtime Blue Guitar (2:45)
4. Long Way To Hollywood (3:49)
5. Down In The Flood (3:59)
6. Ballad Of William Sycamore (4:16)
7. My Oklahoma (3:00)
8. Wild Goose (3:43)
9. Days Of 49 (3:35)
10. Lonesome On'ry & Mean (3:37)
11. I Begin To See Design (2:57)
12. One Car Funeral Procession (3:06)
13. Many Rivers (2:59)
14. Come Sit By My Side (3:01)
15. True Note (2:56)
16. I Can't Hold Myself In Line (2:18)
17. Crash On The Levy (2:34)
18. White Trash Song (3:03)

See Steve Young on Tour

Ray Charles - "Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music" (1962)

This seminal album in American music history blended soul with country & western music at a time when racial tension was swelling. Studio execs thought it was a mistake when Ray Charles decided to cover country and folk standards for his upcoming album, but it became a critical and commercial success that some consider his finest studio outing. Just as he seamlessly combined Gospel and R&B to create Soul, he again shows here how interwoven American music is. Almost five decades later, the strings and backing vocals may sound a bit syrupy, but Brother Ray's voice is always there to save the day. It all combines to sit you down on a wrap around porch with lemonade and a rocking chair on a Southern summer afternoon. As lovelorn as the songs may be (these are country standards after all), I hope I'm dancing with my wife to this record when we're 80. -- Chris Baginski

1. "Bye Bye Love" 2:12
2. "You Don't Know Me" 3:16
3. "Half as Much" 3:28
4. "I Love You So Much It Hurts" 3:35
5. "Just a Little Lovin' (Will Go a Long Way)" 3:29
6. "Born to Lose" 3:18
7. "Worried Mind" 2:57
8. "It Makes No Difference Now" 3:36
9. "You Win Again" 3:31
10. "Careless Love" 4:01
11. "I Can't Stop Loving You" 4:14
12. "Hey, Good Lookin'" 2:14
13. "You Are My Sunshine" 3:01
14. "Here We Go Again" 3:18
15. "That Lucky Old Sun" 4:21

Jimmy Buffett - "A1A" (1974)

Before Jimmy Buffett was a gun-slinging parrot, he was a country singer in Nashville, TN. But one trip to Key West with Jerry Jeff Walker to play the boardwalks for money changed all of that. It's here that Buffett began this shift from country to the beach bum tropical pop that made him famous. On A1A (named for the Atlantic Coast road that runs along Florida's beachfront towns) Buffett is mid way between his country past and margarita future and chronicles the shift in several of the tunes. You can hear him falling in love with oceanside life as his tumbleweeds blow closers to the seas. So take in the sweet smell of saltwater on this one as the country palm tress gently sway. -- Chris Baginski

1. "Making Music for Money" 4:01
2. "Door Number Three" 3:03
3. "Dallas" 3:25
4. "Presents to Send You" 2:40
5. "Stories We Could Tell" 3:18
6. "Life Is Just a Tire Swing" 3:04
7. "A Pirates Look At Forty" 3:57
8. "Migration" 4:13
9. "Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season" 4:21
10. "Nautical Wheelers" 3:35
11. "Tin Cup Chalice" 3:38

J.J. Cale - "Naturally" (1971)

When Eric Clapton cites you as a major influence, covers your songs, and finally, records an album with you, you've probably done something right. J.J. Cale has flown under the radar for the better part of 40 years and that just the way he wants it. The epitome of laid-back, J.J.'s music and breezy guitar style comes of so effortlessly it's clear to see why Clapton, and others from the ranks of Neil Young and Mark Knopfler, have sought to emulate his groove. This combination of the blues, rockabilly, country, and jazz came to be know as the Tulsa Sound and is recognized as one of the most chilled of vibes. -- Chris Baginski

1. "Call Me the Breeze" 2:35
2. "Call the Doctor" 2:26
3. "Don't Go to Strangers" 2:22
4. "Woman I Love" 2:36
5. "Magnolia" 3:23
6. "Clyde" 2:29
7. "Crazy Mama" 2:22
8. "Nowhere to Run" 2:26
9. "After Midnight" 2:23
10. "River Runs Deep" 2:42
11. "Bringing It Back" 2:44
12. "Crying Eyes" 3:13