Bright Lights & Country Music/Country Fever (1998)

About this title: This is a reissue of the two albums -- 1966's Bright Lights & Country Music, and 1967's Country Fever -- on which Nelson plunged for the first time into country music whole hog. On Bright Lights he still used his regular band, but augmented them with Glen Campbell and future Byrd Clarence White, and regular guitarist James Burton played dobro. It wasn't country-rock, but straight country without any Nashville gloss in the production, emphasizing covers of songs by Willie Nelson, Merle Travis, Bill Anderson, and Doug Kershaw. Nelson sounded more engaged with the material than he had in years ... read more

Tracks:

1. Truck Drivin' Man [Fell]
2. You Just Can't Quit [Nelson]
3. Louisiana Man [Kershaw]
4. Welcome to My World [Winkler/Hathcock]
5. Kentucky Means Paradise [Travis]
6. Here I Am [Campbell/Douglas]
7. Bright Lights and Country Music [Anderson]
8. Hello Walls [Nelson]
9. No Vacancy [Travis/Stone]
10. I'm a Fool to Care [Daffan]
11. Congratulations [Fuller]
12. Night Train to Memphis [Smith/Hughes/Bradle]
13. Take a City Bride [Guilbeau]
14. Funny How Time Slips Away [Nelson]
15. The Bridge Washed Out [Louis/Smith/Melshee]
16. Alone [Nelson]
17. Big Chief Buffalo Nickel (Desert Blues) [Rodgers]
18. Mystery Train [Parker/Phillips]
19. Things You Gave Me [Hardin]
20. Take These Chains from My Heart [Rose/Heath]
21. (I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle [Davis/Williams]
22. Walkin' Down the Line [Dylan]
23. You Win Again [Williams]
24. Salty Dog [Nelson]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.