Everyone knows Willie Nelson as a country singer (and legend), but some might be surprised to know that he’s had his fair share of acting roles as well.
It seemed like Willie really hit a groove during the 1980’s and starred in pretty much any western movie he wanted to. In 1986, he performed in such classic films as Red Headed Stranger and Stagecoach (along with the rest of The Highwaymen).
However, he got his acting career rolling with the 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose, which had its world premiere on this date 43 years ago. It would later hit theaters nationwide on July 18th.
I’ll have to admit, I have not ever seen the movie, but after seeing the trailer (which I have attached below), I am doing my best to track it down to watch it. The preview for the movie looks phenomenal, and people in the 1980’s who loved Willie Nelson were probably jumping at the bit to go see it.
The American western romantic drama (which I’m sure used to be the name of a very specific section at Blockbuster) was directed by Jerry Schatzberg and starred Willie Nelson as a country singer named Buck Bonham.
In a classic, almost cliché premise, Nelson’s character is a struggling musician with a good family until he becomes noticed and rises to fame.
As his career blossoms, he then struggles to maintain a good relationship with his wife and son, especially when the daughter of one of his former guitar players joins his tour. As the plot description says:
“The road leads to temptation, which leads to his downfall.”
Who could have seen that coming?
Though the movie was somewhat predictable, one undeniably great thing that came from the film was the accompanying sound track, which shared the same name.
The album Honeysuckle Rose featured songs by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Johnny Gimble, and Hank Cochran, among others. Some classic Willie songs that popped up on the track list were “On The Road Again,” “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” and “Heaven or Hell.”
Basically, the movie and the soundtrack were made for the Willie Nelson super-fans, and if that sounds like you, make sure to check out the trailer below, then plan on tracking down the full-length film as well.
Take a look:
And to really get you roped in, I also found the opening musical number from the movie, with Willie Nelson performing “On The Road Again” live (sort of).
Check it out:
