Title - 'Django and Jimmie'
Artist - Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard
The oddly named Django & Jimmie is a brand new duet album by country music singers Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. In fact, would you believe that this new release marks the sixth album collaboration between Nelson and Haggard.
Helmed by Nelson's longtime producer, collaborator and friend Buddy Cannon, Django and Jimmie premieres 14 brand-new studio recordings including: 'Django and Jimmie,' a dual tribute to jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and Jimmie Rodgers, country music's mythic 'Singing Brakeman'; the reflective and meditative 'Live This Long'; 'Missing Ol' Johnny Cash,' an homage to country music's original Man in Black featuring guest vocals from Bobby Bare; a sublime interpretation of Bob Dylan's 'Don't Think Twice, It's Alright'; and the future outlaw country classic 'Unfair Weather Friend,' written by rising songsmiths Marla Cannon-Goodman (Buddy Cannon's daughter) and Ward Davis.
Funnily enough, the release of the album's first single, 'It's All Going to Pot' - a song including the incredible talent of new country legend, Jamey Johnson - came out on April 20th (420 day)!! Although the entire album was recorded in just three days, the actual preproduction of the album took eighteen months. The parties involved discussed the type of material they wanted to include in the album and co-wrote some of the songs by talking on the telephone, amazingly enough.
Also, amongst the 14 essential recordings, Nelson and Haggard each pay musical tribute to the other through heartfelt solo performances: Willie singing Merle's 'Somewhere Between' and Merle covering Willie's 'Family Bible.' Django & Jimmie is a great album, chock full of country goodness, brought together by two of the world's greatest EVER country songsters. Not listening to this new album would be a crime, and you wouldn't want a visit from Willie now would you ... or would you?!
www.WillieNelson.com
www.MerleHaggard.com
www.LegacyRecordings.com