Willie Nelson WILLIE NELSON & FRIE

Personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Ray Charles, Kenny Chesney, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Toby Keith, Diana Krall, Lyle Lovett, Shelby Lynne, John Mellencamp, Ray Price, Leon Russell, Paul Simon, Shania Twain, Steven Tyler, ZZ Top (vocals); Biff Watson (acoustic & electric guitars); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Wyclef Jean, Andy York (guitar); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Miriam Sturn (violin); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); John Hobbsm, Matt Rollings, Robert Aaron (keyboards); Michael Rhodes, Jerry Duplessif (bass); Kenny Aronoff, Donald Guillaume, Dane Clark (drums); Shannon Forrest (percussion); Julia Waters, Maxine Waters, Corky Churke (background vocals).
Recorded live at The Beacon Theatre, New York, New York on April 9, 2003.
LIVE & KICKIN' was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album. "Wurlitzer Prize" was nominated for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals. "Beer For My Horses" was nominated for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals and for Best Country Song.
Personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Wyclef Jean (vocals, guitar); Diana Krall, Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, Kenny Chesney, Leon Russell, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Ray Price, Shania Twain, Shelby Lynne, Steven Tyler , Toby Keith, ZZ Top, Elvis Costello (vocals); Andy York (guitar); Biff Watson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Miriam Sturm (violin); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); John Hobbs, Matt Rollings, Robert Aaron (keyboards); Donald Guillaume, Kenny Aronoff , Dane Clark (drums); Shannon Forrest (percussion); Cory Churko, Julia Waters, Maxine Willard Waters (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Julian King; Mike Wanchic; Paul Mahern; Thom Cadley.
Recording information: The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY (04/09/2003).
Photographer: Kevin Mazur.
For his 70th birthday gala, Willie Nelson decided to celebrate by inviting a cast of musical stars to join him in duets on a televised concert. In keeping with Nelson's eclecticism, only a few of the famous participants are country artists (Shania Twain, Toby Keith, and old pal Ray Price). How much is added to his classic "Crazy" by guests Diana Krall and Elvis Costello (then-hot celebrity couple of the moment) is an open question; what's really important is the well-deserved recognition Nelson receives from the musical world's biggest names. If you're a hardcore Willie fan, you've probably already got a couple of earlier live versions of, for example, "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," but part of Live and Kickin's purpose is to expose fans of Nelson's duet partners to the magic they've been missing out on for many decades. In that, it's a success.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop