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Willie Nelson To Release The Stories Behind His Songs In October

May 22, 2023/by Lorie Hollabaugh

A new book filled with the inspirations behind the music of Willie Nelson, Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs, is set for release on Oct. 31.

Penned by Nelson with David Ritz and Mickey Raphael, the new book provides the stories behind the lyrics of 160 of the legend’s favorite songs, along with a dynamic assortment of never-before-seen photos and ephemera.

From his earliest work in the 1950s to now, Nelson looks back at the songs that have defined his career, from his incredibly meaningful deep cuts to his concept albums. Along the way, he shares the stories of his guitar Trigger, his family and the artists he’s collaborated with, such as Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Dolly Parton and many others.

In the book, Nelson muses in a disarmingly honest way on the themes he’s explored his whole life—relationships, infidelity, love, loss, friendship, life on the road, and particularly poignant at this juncture of his life: mortality.

Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs’ publication week will coincide with Nelson’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 3.

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Lorie Hollabaugh
Lorie Hollabaugh
Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.
Lorie Hollabaugh
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