Willie Honors Ray Charles
Willie has always had a way of bridging the gap inside and outside of country music. You can go down the list of other legends who have accomplished this: Cash, Presley and near the top of the list... Willie. This time he is recording with Norah Jones and Louisiana's own Wynton Marsalis.
The recording is tribute to another legend, Ray Charles, and is recorded live at Lincoln Center. "'Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles" is the title. The historic "Blue Note" label is releasing the project on March 29th.
Nelson, who praises Charles’s classic country disc I Can’t Stop Loving You, says, “He did more for country music with that one album than any of us could have done because he opened country songs and country music to millions of his fans and brought a whole lot of people together.”
Jones was thrilled to be invited to share the stage. “It was a no-brainer for me,” she says. I love Willie so much and have had a musical relationship with him. And I’ve always wanted to do something with Wynton.” When she heard the theme of the evening was going to focus on Charles’ music, she got excited: “I know all those songs. We all just love his music. That’s the common factor.”
“This was a special event for me,” says Nelson. “It always is when we get together.”
The track listing for Here We Go Again is as follows:
1. Hallelujah I Love Her So (Gospel 2-beat / Boogaloo / 4/4 Swing)
2. Come Rain or Come Shine (Walking Ballad)
3. Unchain My Heart (Bolero with Habanera bass)
4. Cryin’ Time (Country Ballad)
5. Losing Hand (Dirge with Chain-Gang Shuffle)
6. Hit The Road Jack (Gospel 2-beat / 4/4 Swing)
7. I’m Moving On (Boogaloo with Afro-Latin Backbeat / 4/4 Swing)
8. Busted (Gospel 12/8 Shuffle)
9. Here We Go Again (Rhythm & Blues 12/8 Shuffle)
10. Makin’ Whoopie (Hard-Bop 2-beat / 4/4 Swing)
11. I Love You So Much (It Hurts) (Waltz)
12. What’d I Say (Boogaloo)
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