Rating:
Genre:
Country
Release Date: 07/01/2008
At the height of
outlaw country,
Willie Nelson pulled off perhaps the riskiest move of the entire bunch. He set aside originals,
country, and
folk and recorded
Stardust, a collection of
pop standards produced by
Booker T. Jones. Well, it's not entirely accurate to say that he put away
country and
folk, since these are highly idiosyncratic interpretations of
"Georgia on My Mind," "All of Me," "Moonlight in Vermont," and
"Don't Get Around Much Anymore," blending
pop,
country,
jazz, and
folk in equal measures. It's not that
Willie makes these songs his own, it's that he reimagines these songs in a way that nobody else could, and with his trusty touring band, he makes these versions indelible. It may be strange to think that this album, containing no originals from one of America's greatest songwriters, is what made him a star, and it continues to be one of his most beloved records, but it's appropriate, actually.
Stardust showcases
Nelson's skills as a musician and his entire aesthetic -- where there is nothing separating classic American musical forms, it can all be played together -- perhaps better than any other album, which is why it was a sensation upon its release and grows stronger with each passing year. [In 2008
Columbia/Legacy released a deluxe editon of
Stardust that included a second disc made up of 16 standards covered by
Nelson over the years.]
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
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