Energy Follows Thought, Willie Nelson
Energy Follows Thought, Willie Nelson
List: $21.99 | Sale: $15.39
Club: $10.99

Energy Follows Thought
The Stories Behind My Songs

Author: Willie Nelson, David Ritz, Mickey Raphael

Narrator: Willie Nelson, Ethan Hawke

Unabridged: 6 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 10/31/2023

Synopsis

For the first time ever, and to help celebrate his 90th birthday in 2023, American icon Willie Nelson provides the stories behind the lyrics of 160 of his favorite songs.From his earliest work in the 1950s to today, Willie looks back at the songs that have defined his career, from his days of earning $50 each to his biggest hits, from his less well-known songs (but incredibly meaningful to him) to his concept albums. Along the way, he also shares the stories of his guitar Trigger, his family and “family,” as well as the artists he collaborated with, including Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Dolly Parton, and many others.Willie is disarmingly honest—what do you have to lose when you’re about to turn 90? —meditating on the nature of songwriting and finding his voice, and the themes he’s explored his whole life—relationships, infidelity, love, loss, friendship, life on the road, and particularly poignant at this juncture of his life: mortality.Revealing, funny, whimsical, and wise, this book is an enduring tribute to Willie Nelson's legacy.

About Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is one of the most popular, prolific, and influential songwriters and singers in the history of American music. He has recorded more than one hundred albums over six decades, appeared in several films, and written two New York Times bestsellers: Willie: An Autobiography and The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes.

About David Ritz

David Ritz is the author of the acclaimed novels The Man Who Brought the Dodgers Back to Brooklyn and Blue Notes Under a Green Felt Hat. He is the only four-time winner of the Gleason Book of the Year Award. He's also cowritten the memoirs of many celebrities.

About Mickey Raphael

Mickey Raphael, one of the country’s leading harmonica players, has been a member of Willie’s Family band for fifty years. He has performed on hundreds of albums and has served as a producer and arranger.

About Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke is best known for his starring roles in the motion pictures Dead Poets Society, Reality Bites, Gattaca, Before Sunrise, Hamlet and Training Day, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award. He is the cofounder and artistic director of the Malaparte Theater Company, based in New York, and the author of the novels The Hottest State and Ash Wednesday. He lives in New York with his wife and two children.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Melanie on November 28, 2023

Wow! This book gives the reader a chance to get to know Willie through his music. I'm not sure there is a person in America that has no idea who Willie Nelson is as his music is ingrained in our society. However, there is much more to the man that I imagined. He is now 90 years old and is truly a na......more

Goodreads review by Tim on November 03, 2023

Willie Nelson keeps writing books and I keep reading them. This book was interesting enough. There's a lot of overlap with other books Willie has written in the last 5-10 years but there are a few new stories in this collection as well. It's not essential but if you are interested in Willie's songwri......more

Goodreads review by Sydney on June 02, 2024

At first, I wanted to listen to the audiobook, voiced by Ethan Hawke. But, I found myself wanting to listen to the songs, which were simply being quoted, and pausing every few minutes to listen to the actual song before hearing the story behind it or commentary from Willie Nelson. I ended up switchi......more

Goodreads review by Trish on January 08, 2025

Big fan of Willie, less so of this book. The subtitle Stories Behind My Songs was compelling, but I would have loved more story, fewer song lyrics. I did enjoy learning about Willie’s friendships with other musicians.......more

Goodreads review by Susan on January 20, 2024

Even better when listening while reading......more

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