Music Review: Willie Nelson is ageless singing Rodney Crowell songs on 'Oh What A Beautiful World'
It's fun to hear Willie Nelson sing such words as 'ninja,' 'fishmonger' and 'absinthe,' which are among the many pleasures found in the songbook of influential country songwriter Rodney Crowell.
'Oh What A Beautiful World' is Nelson's latest album devoted to the songs of a specific songwriter, and in Crowell, he's interpreting a kindred spirit. While Crowell has a slightly different lyric vocabulary, both are Texans with a deep love of Hank Williams.
The pairing – great songs and a great singer – works beautifully. The album will be out Friday, just before Nelson's 92nd birthday on April 29.
He has long sounded ageless, but more than ever, Nelson sings like a sage. His reedy tenor can be a little whispery, but he displays surprising vocal range. His relaxed, conversational delivery is filled with warmth and wisdom. He'll start a phrase late, end it early and make it seem perfect.
When he reminisces about childhood on 'Banks of the Old Bandera" — originally recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker — Nelson sounds just like he did in 1976, the year the song was written. Other material ranges from 'Shame on the Moon,' a 1982 pop hit for Bob Seger, to Crowell's overlooked gem 'She's Back in Town.'
Also included are tunes that have been recorded by Tim McGraw and Keith Urban and a folksy ballad co-written with Guy Clark .
Longtime Nelson collaborator Buddy Cannon produced the record, and the backing musicians provide graceful, tasteful support. Nelson's beloved guitar Trigger plays a significant role, including on a careening, don't-try-this-at-home solo on the title cut, a duet with Crowell.
Also among the highlights is 'The Fly Boy & The Kid,' a prayerlike shuffle with playful lyrics that Nelson leans into. He's equally frisky doing roadhouse blues on 'She's Back in Town,' while elsewhere the mood tends toward contemplative. 'The days go by like flying bricks,' Nelson sings on the handsome ballad 'Open Season On My Heart.'
More than any other song in the set, 'Still Learning How to Fly' seems as if it was written for Nelson. Nearing the end of the album – Nelson's 154th, according to Texas Monthly's herculean ranking of his prolific discography — he sings:
'I've got a past that I won't soon forget / And you ain't seen nothing yet.'
He sounds as if he means it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
7 days ago
- Mint
Texas Is Going About Its Hollywood Ambitions All Wrong
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- There's nothing particularly new or unusual about states offering incentives to lure entertainment companies to produce films, television shows and video games within their borders. For decades, state and local governments in New York, Georgia, New Mexico and elsewhere have offered rebates and/or incentives in exchange for the boosts to local commerce and employment that large-scale productions can offer. So, on its face, Texas Senate Bill 22 — legislation providing at least $1.5 billion over 10 years to increase production in the Lone Star State — seems not only wise but uncontroversial. But, the measure, which was approved by the state Senate in April and passed by the House last month, is loaded with the kind of poison pills that could conceivably push major productions away. 'Those who opposed the bill raised concerns about how the governor's office will determine which productions to fund,' The Texas Tribune's Pooja Salhotra noted earlier this year. 'The bill gives the governor's office complete discretion over which projects receive grant funding.' In fact, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who has made the proposal a priority, has explicitly decreed that these state-subsidized productions should 'export Texas faith and family values,' and each project will be judged on whether it 'portrays Texas and Texans in a positive fashion.' It should be noted that Texas isn't exactly a barren wasteland for film and television production as it is. The annual SXSW conference is a splashy showcase for new movies and television shows from both independent and studio filmmakers, and one that frequently spotlights local talent. Austin-based writer-director Richard Linklater helped put his state on the map via locally set and shot films such as Slacker, Dazed and Confused and Bernie. Fellow Austinite Robert Rodriguez built an entire studio and postproduction facility in the city, where he's produced and directed multiple films and series. Rodriguez, Linklater and other Texas filmmakers have taken advantage of existing state incentive funds to work there — though not always smoothly. After the release of his 2010 action-comedy Machete, the Texas Film Commission denied Rodriguez and his producers the money they'd been promised, objecting to the film's negative portrayal of Texas. (Its sequel, Machete Kills, was denied funds outright, prompting its production company to sue the Commission.) Perhaps because of that spotty history, coupled with the larger incentives offered by nearby states and their film commissions, many recent Texas-set productions have been shot outside of the state. Some native power players, however, have pushed back, often at their own expense. Matthew McConaughey has said that he and fellow Texan Woody Harrelson gave back 15% of their pay to offset the cost of shooting their new Apple TV show Brothers in the Austin area, rather than its planned production base in Georgia. Both actors have thrown their enthusiastic public support behind SB22. But do they know what they're signing on for? Republican state Senator Paul Bettencourt of Houston indicated that the incentives shouldn't support the likes of Landman, the West Texas-set drama from television powerhouse, Texan and SB22 supporter Taylor Sheridan. Why? Because 'having Billy Bob Thornton f-bomb every sentence is not Texas values.' McConaughey and Harrelson shot a promo video for the bill, reprising their characters from the hit True Detective — but that show, which features not only copious profanity but nudity, graphic violence and themes of sexual abuse and pedophilia, would likely not have met the 'family values' standards of the bill. In fact, historical precedents indicate a hands-off approach is more effective. For decades, location shooting in New York City was all but nonexistent. The combination of unnecessarily complicated paperwork and pricy production expenses led most film and television crews to shoot their New York stories on Hollywood backlots. But in 1965, mayoral candidate John Lindsay campaigned on a promise to bring film production to NYC, and he kept his word. Lindsay's Executive Order Number 10 established the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, a one-stop shop coordinating production and allowing filmmakers to cut through the red tape. It also cut special deals with the labor unions for films shot entirely in the for Lindsay, film production in the city kicked into high gear just as crime was on the rise and tax revenue was tumbling, resulting in state funds incentivizing the making of movies, such as Taxi Driver and The Warriors, that depicted New York as a lawless hellscape. But Lindsay and his successors in the mayor's office refused to interfere, or to make the program contingent on their approval of scripts or finished films. They understood what Patrick, Bettencourt and their fellow morality police do not: that such restrictions amount to censorship, and that Texas's explicitly stated objections and goals amount to the creation of a propaganda program. There's no questioning the short walk from 'faith and family values' to the 'anti-communist' flag-waving of the McCarthy era — specifically, the targeted harassment by the House Un-American Activities Committee and its shameful campaign to flush out 'subversive' elements and influences in Hollywood. In the aftermath of those investigations and the film industry's voluntary blacklist of those accused, Hollywood embarked on one of its dullest eras. The period was filled with unobjectionable, squeaky-clean portrayals of good Americans going to work and being model citizens and otherwise projecting that era's equivalent of 'family values.'Many of those films haven't aged that well; they feel sanitized, empty, phony. Texas's efforts to turn itself into the Hollywood Southwest are admirable, but the products of its intellectually homogenized, artistically neutered program are likely to age just as poorly. More From Bloomberg Opinion: This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Jason Bailey is a film critic and historian whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Vulture, the Playlist, Slate and Rolling Stone. He is the author, most recently, of 'Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend.' More stories like this are available on
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Who is Nelson Sardelli, Mariska Hargitay's biological father? 3 interesting facts about the dad-daughter duo
Mariska Hargitay has been a part of the small screen for nearly 26 years now. Hargitay celebrated a silver jubilee being a part of an elite squad of small-screen shows only last year, and now she is discussing some unheard stories about her life through her documentary, My Mom Jayne. This includes getting to know about her biological father. Mariska has discussed the time when she found out that former Mr. Universe Mickey Hargitay was not her biological father. Instead, it was Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli. In Mariska's documentary My Mom Jayne, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17, this incident was shown as one of the most significant happenings of her life. This documentary, interestingly, also serves as her feature film directorial debut. Nelson, 90, was an entertainer who performed on cruise ships and every continent, including shows at the Sydney Opera House or the iconic New York City's Carnegie Hall. He had also worked with General Motors back in the day, and also went on to serve in the army and work construction jobs. He then landed a music gig and never looked back, building his career as an entertainer. Here's a look at three interesting facts about Nelson and Mariska: Mariska came to know about the reality about her biological father when she was 25 years old, almost 22 years after the passing away of her mother, Jayne Mansfield. The now 61-year-old Mariska claimed that she felt "like the floor fell out from underneath her" when she came to know about the truth. Mariska also understood back then why she felt so different from Mickey's other kids Mickey "Miklos" Jr., and Zoltan. She even confronted Mickey about the same, but the former Mr. Universe kept insisting that he was her father, and not anyone else. They did not speak about this thereafter, said an E! Online report. ALSO READ | The Voice Season 27 prize money: How much will the winner take home? However, when she, out of curiosity and desire for the necessary answers, decided to introduce herself to Nelson, things took a surprising turn. Nelson met Mariska at the Vanity Fair and was reduced to tears upon knowing the truth. His exact words, according to Mariska, were,"I've been waiting 30 years for this moment." Mariska admitted that later on, she and Nelson went on to form a deep bond, based on the connection that they shared.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Is Cardi B paying the bills? Stefon Diggs' $38M net worth sparks buzz as couple goes public
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel They walked in hand in hand, but the buzz wasn't just about love. When Cardi B and NFL star Stefon Diggs made their surprise courtside debut at the New York Knicks game Monday night, May 12, the internet had one question: who's got the bigger bag?After months of swirling relationship rumours, the two finally went public in headline fashion, triggering a viral frenzy online. But while fans cheered for the unexpected couple, the financial disparity between the superstar rapper and the Houston Texans wide receiver quickly became a trending read: Is Cardi B struggling financially? Singer shuts down speculations, says she spends $3 million a month According to CEO Today, Cardi B's net worth in 2025 stands at a staggering $101 million, securing her spot as the second richest female rapper of all time. The WAP singer trails only Nicki Minaj, who tops the list with a net worth of $190.5 Bronx-born rapper seemed to confirm the numbers herself after a fan account posted the report on X. 'According to CEO Today, Cardi B's net worth reached the $101.6 million mark in 2025,' wrote @BardiDetails. Cardi responded with a cheeky: 'And when that tour hits …..' adding three winged cash emojis—suggesting there's even more money on the brand endorsements, massive streaming royalties, and a lucrative fashion footprint, Cardi has transformed herself into a business mogul as much as a musical Stefon Diggs isn't exactly struggling, his estimated net worth of $38 million in 2025 pales in comparison. Still, the wide receiver has carved out an elite NFL career. His total career earnings have reached $137 million, driven by contracts with the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, and most recently, the Houston 2022, he signed a four-year, $96 million extension with the Bills before being traded to the Texans in 2024. Brand deals with Nike, EA, Activision, Old Spice, and Verizon have added roughly $2.5 million to his portfolio, according to read: Is Cardi B broke? Rapper addresses allegations of living off brand deals On the field, Diggs remains dominant. In just four seasons with the Texans, he's tallied over 5,300 receiving yards and 37 touchdowns, solidifying his place among the NFL's when the glam of celebrity collides with the math of millionaire lifestyles, people talk. And as this new power couple settles into the spotlight, it seems like all eyes are on who's bankrolling who.
