(RCA, 1966) This is the first early Willie Nelson record I have bought that is not particularly good. It is hard to remember that Willie achieved big time stardom in the 70s and his first decades in the biz were as a GOAT songwriter, but not a huge star as a performer (the jarringly generic, seemingly Russian bot-generated album title conveys just how special RCA thought Willie was). He simply was not the best performer at the time. While his banter is confident, it's dry and droll (and spending seemingly an eternity apologizing for covering a Beatles song before doing "Yesterday" is downright weird, though it must have been necessary in Fort Worth in '66), his medleys (of the absolutely greatest songs in the history of Country music, which Willie composed during the most impressive half-decade in any single songwriter's career) are sung in a distracted monotone, like a clockwatcher in a cubicle trying to get through his shift. That he would eventually become one of the most beloved live performers, growing his bond with the audience as he grew his har out, is not foreshadowed here. I LOVE Willie and am not happy to report a dud in his stellar catalogue. I guess RCA knew better than to truth-in-advertising this with the title "Mediocre Country Music Concert."
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