I can remember evenings with my grandparents spent by the radio, my grandmother explaining to me who Hank Williams was, who George Jones is, and that her favourite song of all time was a blue grass tune called Maple Sugar. I remember the smell of her cooking, the taste of tea with sugar, and I remember wood smoke in the stove. I was allowed to stay up late and watch the Grand Ole Opery and the Statler Brothers. On Sunday evenings we would listen to the bluegrass hour on the local AM station, AM 60 – CKCL. I was raised on country music.
Today as I listen to everything from Hank Williams to The Tragically Hip to Louis Armstrong and everything in-between, I realize I have to thank my grandparents. Introducing me to music at such a young age has made me constantly search for more. Country music has led me to all music.
I am not the biggest country fan around these days. I don’t like the way country music is going, I think it celebrates ignorance and many other things I don’t support; but, at one time country was something very different and if it was not for artists like The Dixie Chicks, I think I would abandon modern country music all together.
Willie Nelson is an artist I still have respect for. Willie has stuck to his guns and although I’m not a huge fan I respect what he is trying to do and I respect the fact that he has remained true to himself and his art, even when he wasn’t always the most popular man around.
New West Records has just released a new DVD, Willie Nelson, Live from Austin TX. The show was recorded on the 6th of September, 1990 and is just being released now in 2006. Willie hasn’t changed a bit. The music in 1990 is the same music he played in the 1970s and it is the same music he plays today. Willie Nelson is in fact timeless.
As I mentioned, I am not exactly a card carrying Willie Nelson fan, but I truly enjoyed watching this DVD. In the first place the DVD is packaged very nice. The colours, font, and the lay out throughout both the case and the DVD are well done. The menu is very simple, user friendly, and appealing in appearance. The back of the DVD case is laid out very well, clean, and useful. All these factors gave me a good impression right away.
The footage itself is also great. I was impressed by the quality of the video. It is the 1990s, so one must keep in mind that the fashion is completely out of date, but the camera angles and the sound is really good.
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