And, you know, sometimes they know a lot and sometimes they dont know anything. He cites Columbias reaction to his 1977 announcement that he wanted to record an album of American standards. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. Might sound corny, Nelson writes in his memoir, but the truth is we were dirt poor in material possessions, but we were rich in love. Alfred was a blacksmith; Nancy picked cotton and gave piano lessons. Willie and Waylon are not singing "Just to Satisfy You" to a good-hearted woman. Sometimes two voices fit in such a natural way that they bring authenticity to the song they are singing. The new thing here was that we were making them into duets., She also felt the history of the tunes and the weight they carried. His friends at Farm Aid have also established a website where Johnson, Jones, Young, Kenny Chesney, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Sting and many other celebrities are offering their birthday wishes via video messages. 2000: Kenny Wayne Shepherd (Texas Flood) Its all scary, she says. A pair of drifters he met in Texas? Charlie and Ira Louvin, the renowned harmony duo the Louvin Brothers, recorded the scintillating When I Stop Dreaming in 1955. He takes a much more relaxed, hit-and-miss approach. When Nelson emerges from his bedroom, with a long braid of yellow-white hair hanging over his shoulder, he looks like Pa Kettle climbing out of a spaceship pod. The Texas-born singer has worked with so many greats it was hard to narrow things down to fit into this list. Written by Troy Seals and Eddie Setser, the Western imagery takes on an even more cinematic quality through the production and, of course, two iconic voices. He was doubtful at first, he says, about the need for, or the seemliness of, yet another book. If I like a song, Ill record it and thats pretty much it. For more Country Music and Lifestyle, check out:wideopencountry.com All Rights Reserved. Nearly 20 years after Jennings wrote it with Don Bowman, this 1982 duet became Willie and Waylon's third No. Russell's career has taken a lot of twists and turns from his success as a Hollywood session musician in the '60s, through his rock star status in the '70s and, in 2010, his work with Elton John on their album The Union. I knew I had an audience. Its some of the best physical exercise a person can do. Written by Ed and Patsy Bruce, "Mammas" appealed to male and female country fans by conveying the rugged individualism of a cowboy, as well as the sensitive side. We want to hear it. Lynn and Twitty provided another fine example of excellent close harmony singing on their 1973 version of Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man. The song was produced by Owen Bradley, one of the creators of what was known as Nashville Sound in the 1950s. But when I ask about the state of his vocal cords, he is adamant his voice is as strong as ever. The singer/actress is joined by Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson and Keith Urban on some of the most beloved songs of the '70s. I have a theory that some of those songwriters were writing from an incredibly personal view for characters in musicals, she says during aZoom interview in mid-September, and when singer-songwriters started to emerge out of the 60s, because of what was happening politically and with the war, I think you have this same feeling of people writing from a very personal point of view [into the 70s].. 2003: Shania Twain (Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain) It was on the Billboard Country Hit Chart for twelve weeks, with one week as No. In the early days, the unorthodox rubato style of his delivery wasnt always appreciated by record executives, some of whom accused him of speaking his songs. A hard dick has no conscience, he likes to say. I can remember them sitting round the table at night beneath a kerosene lamp, studying their music, so I grew up with that, with people who took music seriously. Whether my singing could sell records or not, that was another story. When Elvis came in with that vocal, it was so surprising because it was like he put all that longing and all of that emotion and desire into [it. Nelson is 82 now, but his face is still magnificent. This version by country legend Harris and Dire Straits maestro Mark Knopfler, from the tribute album Hank Williams Timeless, contains some lovely mandolin from Mike Henderson. When I get home and show my daughter these prizes, she is largely unimpressed. This magnificent heartbreak song has been covered hundreds of times, including 60 years later by Don Henley and Dolly Parton on the album Cass Country.. In 2007 Alison Krauss and the master singer-songwriter James Taylor collaborated on a mellow, yearning version of this 1950s classic. But rather than being intimidated by Waylon and Willie, fans embraced them. His legions of fans can look forward to an upcoming episode of CMT Crossroads with guest stars like Sheryl Crow, Jamey Johnson, Norah Jones, Ashley Monroe, Leon Russell and Neil Young singing along. On top of all this, he will spend 150 nights on the bus, touring. Spouse. In early 1962, Willie Nelson & Shirley Collie dueted their way into the top 10 with "Willingly" (Liberty 55403). Web73 kg. That certainly seems the case with Costello, who turns Bruce Springsteens Fire (also a hit for the Pointer Sisters) into a delightfully spirited romp. In 1968 singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell recorded their own sweet version of the classic written by Boudleaux Bryant. The melody is incredibly moving, the lyrics bring out a variety of emotions, and together, they create a song you just cant get enough of.. Gill, who had originally been down to just sing harmony, stepped up and the result was special. I got to hang out with him a little bit but not as much as I wanted to.. He pitched a tent in his suite and pretended he was camping in the woods, but even that didnt take away the ennui. The pair performed "Lay Me Down," Willie and Lorettas first and only collaboration. It could be playing these outdoor venues and just have this gorgeous orchestra and sing the songs we all love, she says. Its a little late to worry about it afterwards.. In his eighties, hes still recording and touring like he was twenty years ago. A mindset. Twain came up with it while attending a football match in Italy with her husband. With that in mind, what could be more appropriate than Nelson and fellow Texan Ray Price teaming up for one of Wills' signature songs? One of their best compositions, When the Right One Comes Along, was also a key part of the soundtrack for the hit television show Nashville. Willie Nelson may be the most popular duet partner in country music history. It takes two to tango, two to fall in (and out of) love, and two to sing songs of heartbreak and loss. 1, earned Nelson and Jennings a Grammy and currently lives on in smoky old pool rooms everywhere. George Jones and Tammy Wynette; Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline; Johnny and June Carter Cash; Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton; and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. I give her full credit because that song was one of my career-making ones. You can see why the people at Columbia might have had misgivings about their newly minted country outlaw star singing covers of songs made famous by Lotte Lenya and Louis Armstrong: other artists with fantastic voices, such as Rod Stewart, have attempted similar things with gruesome results. My playing, my singing, my writing, it all has flaws. Photograph: Chris Buck/August Image, Willie Nelson: Ive bought a lot of pot, and now Im selling some back, walk up and down 57th Street a couple of times before I spot. Barry Gibb asked Dolly Parton to sing with me. But Nelson likes to be doing. If nothing else, you are witnessing the twilight of a god. Reba McEntire and Vince Gill have been friends for half a century and their empathy helped make The Heart Won't Lie a 1992 single from the album Its Your Call a modern classic. Nanci Griffith is a remarkable songwriter and she co-wrote the modern classic Gulf Coast Highway for her 1987 album Little Love Affairs. Her voice blends well with Mac McAnally, a record producer and successful solo artist in his own right, on this sorrowful masterpiece. Wilson and co-producer Matt Rollings took their initial list of close to 15070s tunes and whittled them down to ones they could remake as duets (the only song on the album originally recorded by a duo is Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaways Where Is the Love). And twenty years before that. Nelsons inscription To Louella Nelson, love Willie Nelson is barely legible, she points out, and the photos horrible, with Nelson looking haggard and a bit desperate, and me sweaty and on the verge of tears. 1986: David Allen Coe (Ive Already Cheated on You) This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google, Visit Billboard Pro for music business news, How Atlantic Landed the Daisy Jones & The SixSoundtrack, Charles Esten on the Story Behind New Song, One Good Move: I Was Just a Bad DecisionMachine, Brad Paisley on Recording New Song Same Here With Ukrainian President Zelenskyy: I Feel Like Im InThe Bourne Identity. Willie and Bobbie were raised by their saintly-seeming paternal grandparents, Alfred and Nancy. There are songs I sing better now, he says. Hes going to be away from the lead line. 1982: Dolly Parton (Everythings Beautiful [In Its Own Way]) Willie Nelson memoir: my lowest point and my first hit, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Willie Nelson: I dont think its possible to be perfect all the time. Then theres On The Road Again and Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground.. Zodiac Sign. Back in the days when Lady A were still called Lady Antebellum, the band recorded a 2014 duet version of their song Golden with Fleetwood Macs Stevie Nicks. 36: Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack - Mendocino County Line Elton Johns magnificent songwriting partner Bernie Taupin co-wrote the lyrics for Mendocino Islands was originally written by the Bee Gees for Marvin Gaye but then they asked me to do it. It would be hard to pick the definitive version of Townes Van Zandts gorgeous love song If I Needed You, because there have been fine versions by Carrie Rodriguez and Ben Kyle, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires and Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White, among others. About a year later, Willie and Shirley exchanged wedding And when I get out there, Im always glad. I noticed that everyone [in Austin] dressed very comfortably, wearing jeans and tennis shoes and T-shirts, and every time I showed up in a suit and tie, I felt a bit out of place. But the album, Stardust, is one of the most sublime things Nelson ever recorded (as well as one of the most commercially successful). Elton Johns magnificent songwriting partner Bernie Taupin co-wrote the lyrics for Mendocino County Line, which was a 2002 duet for Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack. You'd think being one of "all the girls" wouldn't be much of a compliment. Willies Reserve marijuana is being launched this year. 2008: Wynton Marsalis (Bright Lights, Big City) The two cover "I Won't Dance," first cut by Sinatra in 1957, for Nelson's upcoming tribute album 'That's Life', Watch Willie Nelson and Diana Krall Duet on Sinatra Classic in Joyful Animated video, Todd Sniders New Concept Album Is a Funky, Funny Tribute to Recently Departed Friends, Loretta Lynn and Margo Price Collaborate on Duet Version of Ones on the Way, A Texas Club Musician on Weathering the Storm of 2021, The National Stay Up Late to Perform 'Tropic Morning News' on Fallon, David Lindley, Multi-Instrumentalist Who Shaped the Sound of Soft Rock, Dead at 78, How Deem Spencer Learned to be Vulnerable on His New Album adultSW!M, Suki Waterhouse Won't Take Romance for Granted on New Single 'To Love', Travis Barker Says His Finger Ligament Surgery Was a 'Success' After Postponing Blink-182 Tour. CMT and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. They would take correspondence courses from the Chicago Music Institute, Nelson says. That description was true enough in its way, but slightly misleading in that it attributed to Nelsons music a missionary purpose and a purist ethos it never really had. Some would say this 1975 anthem embodies the Outlaw spirit. 1992: Chieftains (Goodnight Irene) Quick View. Seven Spanish Angels shot to No1 in the Billboard charts in 1984. 2002: Ryan Adams (The Harder They Come) When Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks had a hit with In Anothers Eyes in 1997 they were married to other spouses. Working with any of these people is humbling. Go to Appearance > Customize > Subscribe Pop-up to set this up. Its his fourth book and second full-length memoir. Right, but whats your favourite? The recording failed. Hes one of those men who become properly handsome only in late middle age. He offered the song to Buck Owens, who recorded it in 1973. Homer Joy composed Streets of Bakersfield after trudging round the California town in new cowboy boots and getting blisters. Nelson later said it was the darkest period in his life. 1979: George Jones (I Gotta Get Drunk) The 1997 hit From This Moment On had unusual origins. The collaboration would have probably done even better if Nelson's label had not released a solo single -- "On the Road Again" -- just a few weeks after "Faded Love" first charted. In 1973, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge, who were recently married, released a duet album called Full Moon, which included his song From the Bottle to the Bottom. Harmony came easily for both of us, and it hadn't gotten to where we were fighting yet, said Kristofferson. In 1969, Dylan revisited his gorgeous 1963 song Girl from the North Country and re-recorded it as a duet with his hero Cash. The truth is, when Im not working, Im not having that great a time., He does grow weary of the road, on occasion, but whenever hes tried to mitigate or avoid the hardships of being on the bus, it hasnt worked out. Dierks Bentley co-wrote the uplifting song Beautiful World with his songwriting partner Brett Beavers, and had Patty Griffin in mind from the start as his singing partner on this 2009 single. He also recorded several country albums, most notably 1973's Hank Wilson's Back. It might be easier to list those folks who have not yet sung with Willie! He just lost his best friend and his life, after all. Wilson adds she would also like to tour the album by playing with full orchestras at the Hollywood Bowl or Virginias historic Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Some satellite or something. Mama Dont Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys, a deft song about loneliness and alienation, won the pair a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group. He and I recorded a couple of songs together many, many years ago. He performed his spoken word parts in a separate room at Bradleys Barn studio in Tennessee, while on the phone to Lynn in the recording booth. If we had it our way, this list All Rights reserved. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for WILLIE NELSON-VINYL RECORD-ALWAYS ON MY MIND at the best online prices at eBay! If you recorded with Willie, I dont care if you knew the song backwards, you better write out a chord chart and read that sumbitch. Gram Parsons was only 26 when he died of an overdose in 1973. Knowing Conway Twitty has been one of the greatest pleasures in life, said Loretta Lynn. After narrowing it down, here are some of our favorite Willie Nelson duets. The singer/actress is joined by Willie Nelson, Jackson Browne, Smokey Robinson and Keith Urban on some of the most beloved songs of the '70s. It was confirmation to her that her new album,Rita Wilson Now & Forever: Duets, would hit a sweet spot, not just with her peers, but with younger generations raised on these 50-year-old pop classics by their parents. WebIn 1985, Willie had done a duet with Ray Charles called "Seven Spanish Angels". Copyright 1995-2023 eBay Inc. All Rights Reserved. which is a laughably small sampling of his many duet partners. If Im happy with it after a couple of takes, I leave the studio. "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" With Julio Iglesias. From Carrie Underwoodto Townes Van Zandt (he wrote the classic \"Pancho and Lefty\") and Loretta Lynn, the list could go on all day. When I ask which of his recordings are personal favourites, he seems to make no distinction between whats good and whats popular. WILLIAM "BILLY" HUGH, JR. 1 country hit. 2002: Rob Thomas (Maria [Shut Up and Kiss Me]) Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. 2007: Don Cherry (Its Magic) I learned about what I wanted to do.. The narrative itself is clear enough: Two weary bandits are on the run in Mexico when one of them sells the other out for a reward. I Fall to Pieces was written by celebrated songwriters Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard. That's not to say Nelson was an afterthought on his own song, though. When it comes to Christmas-themed country duets, its pretty surprising that many of the genres most well-loved and well-known duos never captured a shared seasonal moment for an official release. So whether his voice is a tiny bit weaker, or not, I still think its worth going to see him in concert. Take a look back at his incomparable This is the case with Robby Hecht and Rose Cousinss moving version of a heartbreak song called Soon We Were Sleeping. The video for the song is cool, too. They think they know everything. In fact, his first Top 10 hit -- 1962's "Willingly" -- was a duet with Shirley Collie, who Delivery times may vary, especially during peak periods. He released a duet version of his 1973 song Slow Down Old World with his daughter Paula Nelson, which is part of a project Paula has been working on with Notes - Delivery *Estimated delivery dates include seller's handling time, origin ZIP Code, destination ZIP Code and time of acceptance and will depend on shipping service selected and receipt of cleared payment. 1978: Hank Cochran (Aint Life Hell) Itd be a hard choice, he says. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, Watch Merle Haggard Perform Misery & Gin On Austin City Limits In 1985, Shania Twain Says Her Ex-Husband Robert Mutt Lange Is Still With Her Former Best Friend, Whiskey Riff New Music Friday Playlist (3/3/23), Billy Strings Shares Sweet Tribute To The Late Doc Watson On What Wouldve Been His 100th Birthday: Hell Always Be My Favorite, National Park Service Offers Advice For Bear Sightings: If You Come Across A Bear, Never Push A Slower Friend Down. Four wives, seven children, 350 albums and his own line in marijuana: Willie Nelson has never done anything by halves. For Wilson, these revered songs are her version of the Great American Songbook, the term given to many jazz and Broadway show tunes released between the 1920s and 1950s that have become standards. Gretchen Peters has written regularly with Bryan Adams over the years and they sang together on the impressive Everlys-styled duet When You Love Someone, which Adams originally sang solo over the final credits of the Sandra Bullock film Hope Floats. My mind drifted and I started writing, she said. Date of Birth. He gets itchy with too much R&R. I do a lot of songs. ", Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team. Thats what wed do. Willie Nelson explores the deep corners of the Frank Sinatra catalog on his new album Thats Life, out February 26th. All Rights reserved. The set, which came out Tuesday (Sept. 27) on her own Orchard-distributed Sing It Loud imprint, features the singer/actress performing primarily soft-rock hits from the 70s, such as Without You, Crazy Love, Slip Slidin Awayand If, with a cadre of male artists, including legends Willie Nelson and Smokey Robinson, as well as country stars Keith Urban, Tim McGraw and Vince Gill, among others. The Fat Boys: Hip-Hops Pop Culture Ambassadors on Crushin 1987, How JD McPherson Blew Up Christmas Album Cliches on New Socks, See Chris Shifletts Scorching Live West Coast Town Video, The National Stay Up Late to Perform 'Tropic Morning News' on Fallon, David Lindley, Multi-Instrumentalist Who Shaped the Sound of Soft Rock, Dead at 78, How Deem Spencer Learned to be Vulnerable on His New Album adultSW!M, Suki Waterhouse Won't Take Romance for Granted on New Single 'To Love', Travis Barker Says His Finger Ligament Surgery Was a 'Success' After Postponing Blink-182 Tour. 20 videos 1,279 views Last updated on Aug 16, 2021. 2009: Norah Jones (Baby, Its Cold Outside) Channeling his inner lawman, Nelson's vocals added a bit of believability to all the talk of stringing up bad guys, but he conveys it in a fishing tale kind of way. Willie Nelson And His Daughter, Paula, Team Up For Beautiful Duet Of His 1973 Classic Slow Down Old World. Nelsons cover of Kurt Weills September Song. Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings seemed so natural as a male singing partnership and their version of Ed Bruce's song about the cowboy life became a popular classic when it was covered on their 1978 duet album. Country music is the lifeblood of Whiskey Riff, and we pride ourselves on standing firmly in the corner of the independent artists, and those few in the mainstream still doing it the right way. If I stay off the road too long, its not good for me. Jerry Osborne. Does he really mean it? The inventive harmonies and subtle phrasings of Tim OBrien and Darrell Scott gave new life to House of Gold, the Hank Williams classic about the evils of greed. In fact, his first Top 10 hit -- 1962's "Willingly" -- was a duet with Shirley Collie, who became his second wife. The corresponding album, Wanted: The Outlaws!, proved to be just that -- wanted. 22 on the Billboard country songs chart, but it did earn Nelson and Womack a Grammy award for best country collaboration. By the time he hit 60, he was a knockout, a cross between Georgia OKeeffe and a Cherokee chief. Nelson was hired by KVAN in Vancouver, Washington, and appeared frequently on a television show. "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" With Waylon Jennings. Dolly Parton had some strange duet partners over the years including actors Burt Reynolds and Sylvester Stallone but one of her best collaborations was with Vince Gill. It was somewhere in his late 40s, when he started getting leaner and greyer, that his face started to acquire its gaunt, sculptural quality. We want to hear it. Im very lucky to have fame and fortune and all that good stuff. That would be fantastic., RITA WILSON NOW & FOREVER: DUETSTRACKLISTING, Where Is The Love? with Smokey Robinson, Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. Even though Ive been doing this for 10 years now and I have a number of albums, I still started relatively late. 2000: Francine Reed (Milk Cow Blues) Bringing together people from different musical genres and backgrounds can work well. According to TikTok, the trend has been popular in the United States for the last 13 days and is currently at 91 percent of peak viewership. 2009: Shawn King (I Give) I went ahead and did it anyway, because I had it in my contract that I had creative control I could record anything I wanted to. They have lasted and endured for so many years, she says. He released a duet version of his 1973 song Slow Down Old World with his daughter Paula Nelson, which is part of a project Paula has been working on with producer Bruce Robison on his The Next Waltz label. Thats the way jazz singers sing. About a year later, Willie and Shirley exchanged wedding vows, willingly of course. You can tell that much from the first line: "Someone's gonna get hurt before you're through." 1983: Merle Haggard (Reason to Quit) In 1971, Anne Murray and Glen Campbell had the inspired idea of teaming up and recording joint versions of songs that had been hits for them as solo stars. 2002: Vince Gill (Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain) The great Willie Nelsonstill out here makin magic. Their subsequent studio version was released as a B-side to Straits single Go On and it became a cult radio hit. He picked all the best songs in the world to record and of course he had access to them. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Imagine a couple at an altar, getting married and saying those things to each other.. He had a great choice of songs, Nelson said recently. Iris DeMent has one of the most distinctive female voices in country music. Im in awe of them., Wilson says recording only with men was a nod to the traditional duets of her youth and the classics from the Great American Songbook, but she also tips her hand to the future: Because we need to have aNow & Forever Volume 2: Duetswith women. "Pancho and Lefty" spent one week on top of the Billboard country songs chart and remains one of Nelson's most enduring recordings. I entertain people, he says. Im anxious to get it out there., On Friday, Nelson released another track, I Wont Dance, a standard composed by Jerome Kern and recorded by Sinatra in 1957 for A Swingin Affair!, his 12th studio album (He cut it in 1962 for SinatraBasie: An Historic Musical First too.) 2008: Sandy Kelly (Against the Wind) His 1982 single, "Always on My Mind", reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. He released a duet version of his 1973 song Slow Down Old World with his daughter Paula We've Got Tonite was written by rock singer Bob Seger in the 1970s. The song won a Grammy in 1974. Good Hearted Woman, with Waylon Jennings. It launched an uninterrupted string of top 10 hits for the duo that lasted for the following three years. Nelson playing at his annual 4 July Picnic festival in 1974. His 1982 single, "Always on My Mind", reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Prine had a gravelly voice that worked splendidly linked to the rich, gospel-based tones of Iris DeMent. Six years later they were divorced. The first week will feature her performing songs from the new album with actor and former The Tenors member Fraser Walters. As well as her great duets with Prine, she also collaborated in 1998 with Steve Earle on a fantastic bluegrass version of his song Im Still in Love With You, backed by the brilliant Del McCoury Band. Lifelong fan Zo Heller boards the tour bus Looking back on a celebrated career of collaborations, here are 10 prime Willie Nelson duets. View cart for details. All 150 Willie Nelson Albums, Ranked. If youre looking for musical longevity, look no further than Grammy-winning American outlaw country hero and Nashville rebel, Willie Nelson. Though some of her duet partners like Costello, Nelson, Robinson and Browne were already registering their own hits in the 70s, she opted against remaking songs they had already made famous themselves. 2009: Ziggy Marley (This Train) When I ask if he ever argued with Merle Haggard or Johnny Cash about their conservative views, he shakes his head impatiently. WebA total of 25 Nelson singles have reached number one on music charts in the US. Nelson used to celebrate his birthday on April 30, until one year his mother mentioned that he arrived in the world just before midnight -- a few minutes before the doctor looked at the clock. The third child with Matthews was Willy Hugh, Jr., nicknamed Billy. To celebrate the albums release, Wilson will play a two-week residency starting Oct. 25 at New Yorks Caf Carlyle. Here are some of the best I've There is an interesting blend of country and folk on Lost on the River, a song that Hank Williams wrote and originally recorded as a duet with his wife Audrey. Nelson is in New York to promote his autobiography, My Life: Its A Long Story. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. In 1988, 59-year-old Owens revisited the song in a duet with Dwight Yoakam. It wasnt just like, Okay, lets record this song. There was a reverence., Because of the pandemic, Wilson was only able to record with Browne (Let It Be Me) and Leslie Odom Jr. (Massachusetts) in person, but studio technology allowed her to record in real time with her other collaborators. Johnny Cash was and is the North Star; you could guide your ship by him the greatest of the greats, said Bob Dylan.