Now this right here is how you cover a Willie Nelson song.
While they may have a slightly unfair advantage if we’re being honest, Willie’s sons Lukas and Micah Nelson took to late night TV to perform their dads song “Bloody Mary Morning” on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night in honor of his 90th birthday tomorrow.
Of course, the song was first written and recorded Willie, who wrote it after he was inspired by his own struggles to become a “better parent”. It was originally released in 1970 on RCA Records with the title “Bloody Merry Morning.”
But one night when Willie performed it at a party in Nashville, Atlantic Records vice-president Jerry Wexler happened to be in the room and hear it, and offered him a recording contract to be a part of the new country music division of Atlantic.
Willie had previously had a pretty unsuccessful run with RCA, so he accepted the new deal, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The tune was ultimately included in his iconic concept album Phases and Stages, where the meaning of the changed by the context of the project, to where a man was left by his wife.
It was released as a single to country radio, and peaked at #17 on Billboard’s Country singles chart in 1974, becoming a staple at his live shows and one of his signature songs.
And it goes without saying even if you just watch this video, but Lukas and Micah come by their talent very honestly, and if you close your eyes for a few seconds, I swear you’d almost thing Willie was the one on-stage singing.
Here’s to 90 more years for the one and only Willie Nelson:
Lukas and Micah will both be part of Willie’s two-day concert birthday celebration this weekend dubbed: Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90, A Star-Studded Concert Celebrating Willie’s 90th Birthday, which will be huge bash in honor of the red headed stranger at the iconic Hollywood Bowl.
“Bloody Mary Morning”
