Willie Nelson: "Crazy (Demo Version)"

Last night while we were enjoying a few beverages at the always-lovely Rusty Knot, their DJ-slash-doorman played this killer track, and it just about blew our minds. It's semi-common knowledge that Willie Nelson wrote the Patsy Cline classic "Crazy", but this took things one step further: This is Willie's own 1961 demo of the very same track.

Not only are his vocals straight-up impecable, but the track itself is the picture of simplicity. With a quiet slide guitar, and gently moving rhythm, Nelson does his work more justice than Cline ever could, by letting the song speak for itself. Culled from 2003's "The Demo Sessions", we couldn't be happier that this gem managed to surface 42 years after its creation.

There are a lot of great Willie Nelson moments, but this one may take the cake.

mp3: Willie Nelson - "Crazy (Demo Version)"

Willie Nelson: New Record, Five Nights At The Fillmore

While we have no idea what sort of show it'll shape up to be, it caught our eye that Willie Nelson will be playing a five night run, starting tonight, at The Fillmore. While we wouldn't call ourselves Nelson connoisseurs, we dig a fair amount of his work, and we were really quite smitten with 2006's Ryan Adams produced, Cardinals backed, Songbird.

Willie is lined up to release a new record, entitled Willie And The Wheel, in February. The record is a collaboration with Asleep At The Wheel, and apparently is "a collection of classic western swing songs handpicked by the late Jerry Wexler". The current tour features Willie with the band, and is in support of the yet-to-be-released disc. Which is to say, we'd guess you can expect to preview more than a couple of tracks from the record.

Put differently: if you like your music country and your cigarettes green, then we've found your choice entertainment!

Tickets are sold out for all shows - craigslist?