Pretty Paper

Released in 1979 on the heels of his massive success with Stardust, Pretty Paper finds Willie Nelson applying his interpretive genius to the holiday canon. Produced by Booker T. Jones, the album maintains the sophisticated, sparse arrangements that made Stardust a crossover hit. While the tracklist features ubiquitous carols, the centerpiece is the title track, a song Nelson wrote in the early 1960s that became a hit for Roy Orbison. Here, Nelson reclaims it with a poignant, stripped-back delivery. The album is notable for its blend of traditional country instrumentation - harmonica and upright bass - with Nelson's idiosyncratic jazz-influenced guitar playing. It stands as a significant entry in the 'Outlaw Country' era's expansion into pop standards, proving that Nelson's style was durable enough to handle even the most sentimental material without losing its edge or authenticity.