Maps of Music

The Promiseland (1986)

Where the lyrics of The Promiseland take you, and where it was really made.

This 1986 Willie Nelson album reached No. 1 on the US Country Albums chart, and its track list closes with a Bach minuet.

Key places

Recorded at Pedernales Recording Studio (1986)

Recording site Pedernales Recording Studio — The album was recorded at Pedernales Recording Studio in Spicewood. The point uses the studio's listed coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• The Promiseland: 34th studio album by American country singer Willie Nelson
• Reached No. 1 on the US Country Albums chart
• Released in 1986 by Columbia Records
• Eleven tracks in total
• Opening track 'Living in the Promiseland', 3:18, credited to David Lynn Jones
• 'I've Got the Craziest Feeling' is written by Floyd Tillman
• 'No Place But Texas' is written by Alex Harvey
• Closing track 'Bach Minuet in G', 1:36, by Johann Sebastian Bach

Background

• Nelson was backed by The Strangers
• Band members: Clint Strong (guitar), Mark Yeary (keyboards), Dennis Hromek (bass), Biff Adam (drums), Jimmy Belken (fiddle)
• Nelson is credited on guitar, arranger and vocals

Recording

• Recorded at Pedernales Recording Studio in Spicewood
• Added players: Johnny Gimble (fiddle), Mickey Raphael (harmonica), Bee Spears (bass guitar)
• Other musicians: Ritchie Albright (drums), Bill Ginn (keyboards), Paul Buskirk (guitar), Freddy Powers (guitar)
• Engineers: Bobby Arnold and Larry Greenhill; assistant engineer John Moran
• Mastering: Denny Purcell

Cover

• Photography: Randee Saint Nicholas
• Art direction: Virginia Team

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.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

• Reached No. 1 on the US Country Albums chart
• Spanish Wikipedia: reached first place on Billboard's Top Country Albums list
• Released in 1986 by Columbia Records
• AllMusic review page by Jason Ankeny is listed among external links

Records

• US Country Albums chart: No. 1
• Billboard Top Country Albums: first place (Spanish Wikipedia)
• Track 1: 'Living in the Promiseland', 3:18, David Lynn Jones
• Track 2: 'I'm Not Trying to Forget You', 3:17, Willie Nelson
• Track 3: 'Here in My Heart', 3:50, David Lynn Jones
• Track 4: 'I've Got the Craziest Feeling', 2:54, Floyd Tillman
• Track 5: 'No Place But Texas', 3:22, Alex Harvey
• Track 6: 'You're Only in My Arms (To Cry on My Shoulder)', 3:16, Steve Nelson
• Track 7: 'Pass It On', 3:10, Steve Bivens, Dub Dickerson, C. Williams
• Track 8: 'Do You Ever Think of Me', 2:17, Earl Burtnett, John Cooper, Jerome Kern
• Track 9: 'Old Fashioned Love', 2:47, James P. Johnson, Cecil Mack
• Track 10: 'Basin Street Blues', 4:09, Spencer Williams
• Track 11: 'Bach Minuet in G', 1:36, Johann Sebastian Bach

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The opening track 'Living in the Promiseland' runs 3:18 and is credited to David Lynn Jones.
• 'Basin Street Blues' is the longest track at 4:09 and is credited to Spencer Williams.
• The final track is Bach's 'Bach Minuet in G', 1:36 long.
• Mickey Raphael plays harmonica on the album.
• The track list mixes songs written by Nelson's band members with older standards by other writers.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

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