MARCH/APRIL 2010 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM the studio to his specifi cations. He was my partner down here at the time, and he did an incredible job. SOUND VALUES Have you changed it much over the Veteran producer T Bone Burnett helped to bring Willie years? A bit. I don’t stay on top of the technical Nelson’s Country Music to life stuff that much. When I get ready to use the studio I know the equipment’s going to Willie Nelson and Country Music producer be the latest and best—and I never have to T Bone Burnett fi rst met sometime in the worry about that. early 1970s—Burnett isn’t sure whether they were in Colorado or Hawaii, but he recalls Kris Kristofferson being present. In any event, the two Texas natives hit it off well but never worked together before now. We caught up with the extremely busy Burnett, who has also produced recent albums by Elvis Costello, Jakob Dylan, John Mellencamp, B.B. King and many others (and won an Oscar for co-writing “The Weary Kind,” from the movie Crazy Heart), to discuss his work with Nelson.
How did you know which songs would work for Willie? Willie has a very distinctive voice, so I would simply imagine Willie singing that song. Every once in a while one would FULL PAGE AD come along that sounds like Willie wrote it, like “Seaman’s Blues” by Ernest Tubb. Most of the tunes you could immediately hear Willie singing.
How was the recording experience? It was the easiest thing in the world, releasing high-resolution digital sound because we had all these incredible for 10 or 12 years now, while CDs have musicians and Willie was in fi ne voice continued to put out low-resolution digital and fi ne spirits the whole time. We went in sound. It’s insane. It’s no wonder people and cut about 25 songs in three days. We aren’t buying records—you’re selling them AS SEEN IN: were working so fast we weren’t going 20-year-old, outdated technology. One of carefully through each tune. When we the ways I want to spend the rest of my MAR/APR 2010 got home we found a couple we wanted life is doing everything I can to improve M MUSIC & MUSICIANS to redo, so we went in again about six sound quality and raise the issue of sound. weeks later and recorded two or three It’s one of the fi ve senses, and one that MAGAZINE more things. should be taken very seriously.
Do you have a preference between Why did you decide to work at What did you take away from analog and digital? Sound Emporium in Nashville? the experience of recording with I’ve heard the pros and cons—how digital That’s the room I use for acoustic music, Willie? is cold and analog is warm—and that’s mostly. It’s the greatest room in the world I learned a lot. I learned a lot about probably true. It still has to be a good song, to record acoustic music and string-band phrasing and guitar playing. And I learned good musicians and good acoustics. Once music. a lot about an approach to music: how to you get past that it’s just a matter of opinion. think of it, how seriously to take it, how Did you record analog or digital? much to love it, how hard to try, how Do you have a goal in mind for We record everything analog. We’re an simple to make it. I learned that Willie yourself at this point? analog team. I believe digital is a sidetrack Nelson is Willie Nelson for a damn good Not really. All I hope is that we all stay as far as audio goes. Analog is the future reason. He’s peaceful, he has an overview, healthy and well, where we can do what of music. All performers are analog, you he knows how to wait. He’s not anxious. we have set out to do. So far we’ve been know. (laughs) Digital sound is not good He’s an extraordinarily great man. Willie is lucky, and we’re still out here. I couldn’t ask for you. Now, high-resolution digital … if he’s not a holy man, he’s very much for anything else. M sound is OK. Movies and TV have been like a holy man.
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