Maps of Music
That's Life (2021)
Where the lyrics of That's Life take you, and where it was really made.
The cover paints Willie Nelson in the style of Frank Sinatra's 1955 album In the Wee Small Hours.
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Mainly recorded at Capitol Studios (2021)
Recording site Capitol Studios — Most tracks were recorded here. It is the original studio used for several of Sinatra's recordings. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Additional tracks at Pedernales (2021)
Recording site Pedernales Recording Studio — Additional tracks were recorded at Nelson's own studio in Spicewood. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Album story
Overview
- That's Life is the 71st solo studio album by Willie Nelson
- Released February 26, 2021 by Legacy Recordings
- A tribute to Frank Sinatra
- Second volume of Nelson's Sinatra collection, following 2018's My Way
- Produced by Buddy Cannon and Matt Rollings
- Mixed by Al Schmitt, with string and brass arrangements
- Track listing has eleven songs
Background
- Covers Sinatra songs including "I've Got You Under My Skin" and "Luck Be a Lady"
- "I Won't Dance" features Diana Krall
Recording
- Mainly recorded at Capitol Studios, the original studio used for several of Sinatra's recordings
- Additional tracks recorded at Nelson's Pedernales studio
- Niko Bolas also credited with mixing
- Eric Boulanger credited with mastering
- Matt Rollings credited for production, engineering and arrangements
Cover
- Painting of Nelson evoking the cover of Sinatra's In the Wee Small Hours
- In the Wee Small Hours was released by Sinatra in 1955
- Frank Harkins credited for art direction and design, Paul Mann for illustrations, James Minchin for back cover photo
Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ko.wikipedia.org
Artist
Formation
- Born Willie Hugh Nelson on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas.
- Wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band, Bohemian Polka, as a guitarist at age nine.
- Attended Baylor University for two years before dropping out to pursue music.
- Moved to Nashville in 1960 and joined Ray Price's band as a bassist.
Career
- Songs such as "Crazy" (Patsy Cline), "Funny How Time Slips Away" and "Pretty Paper" became hits for other artists.
- Debut album ...And Then I Wrote was released in 1962; joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1965.
- Helped lead the outlaw country movement after moving to Austin, Texas in 1972.
- Red Headed Stranger (1975) was a critically acclaimed concept album; the single "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" became his first number one hit.
- Co-founded Farm Aid in 1985 with Neil Young and John Mellencamp.
- Acted in over 30 films, including The Electric Horseman (1979).
- Received a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance for "Ride Me Back Home" (2019).
- Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Generally positive reception from music critics
- Metacritic, which gives normalized 0–100 scores to reviews from mainstream critics: 80 out of 100 based on five reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews"
- American Songwriter's Lee Zimmerman said Nelson "captures the feel and finesse of the original renditions and succeeds in making them his own."
- The Daily Telegraph's Neil McCormick praised the "different pathos" Nelson brought to the material
- McCormick characterised the album as "another loving and elegant tribute to an old friend and American legend."
Records
- Nominated for the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- Additional tracks were recorded at Nelson's own Pedernales studio.
- Capitol Studios was the original studio used for several of Sinatra's recordings.
- Diana Krall appears on "I Won't Dance".
- That's Life was nominated for the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
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