'On the Road Again' written out of necessity

This week in 1980: a major earthquake killed 17,000 people in North Algeria; Cuba announced a general pardon for all Americans serving prison terms; Mt. St. Helens erupted three times within 24 hours; United States agreed to sell China 6 to 8million tons of grain per year; and a singer from Abbott, Texas, was about to have his 62nd hit song and his 9th No. 1.

A lot of songs are written from inspiration and some are written because of necessity. According to Willie Nelson, his 1980 No. 1 "On The Road Again" was one of the latter.

Willie commented, "I wrote "On The Road Again" when I was on a plane with Sydney Pollack and Jerry Shatzburg. Sydney was the producer and Jerry was the director for the "Honeysuckle Rose" move and they told me they needed a song for the movie. And I asked them what they wanted the song to say. Sydney replied, "We need a song about being on the road." So I asked him "How about this: On the road again – on the road again -- I just can't wait to get on the road again. The life I love is makin' music with my friends – I just can't wait to get on the road again."

"They looked at each other and after awhile Sydney said, "But what a melody?" And I told him I would come up with one before we got into the studio. They weren't that knocked out with the song in the beginning but they just couldn't hear the song like I could hear it. They were very nice and gentlemanly about the whole thing. I think they were trying to keep from hurting my feelings and didn't want me to know they were worried but I think they were."

Willie Nelson's Columbia single "On The Road Again" came on the charts August 30, 1980 and was at the top of the charts by November 8th.

Willie Nelson placed 120 songs on the country music charts between 1962 and 2015, including 20 No. 1s. His 120 charted songs included duets with Shirley Collie. Tracy Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Darrell McCall, Mary Kay Place, Hank Cochran, Leon Russell, Ray Price, Roger Miller, Webb Pierce, Dolly Parton, Brenda Lee, Merle Haggard, Julio Iglesias, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Charles, Davis Allen Coe, Lee Ann Womack, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney and Norah Jones.

Willie joined The Grand Ole Opry in 1964 and was inducted into The Country Music Hall Of Fame in 1993. He was given a Grammy Lifetime Legend Award in 1990 and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He was honored by The Kennedy Center in 1998.

Join Doug Davis weekends on KPIG-FM Radio – 103.9 - for "Roots of Country" from 6 a.m. to noon Saturdays and at the same time Sundays for "Sunday Country." You can also listen online at Mypigradio.com.

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