Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard first teamed up on record for Pancho & Lefty in 1983, a record released some 20 years after both singers began their careers.
Back then, they were both hovering around 50, already considered old guys, but Django and Jimmie arrives 32 years after that record, when there's no question that the pair are old-timers.
Appropriately enough, mortality is on their minds throughout Django and Jimmie, a record whose very title is taken from Willie and Merle's childhood idols.
It's a song that seems like a confession, as does the casual admission that they didn't think they'd "Live This Long," but neither Nelson nor Haggard wrote this, nor the title track or the album's first single, the near-novelty "It's All Going to Pot." These are made-to-order originals by some of the best in the business -- Buddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson, and Ward Davis wrote "It's All Going to Pot," Jimmy Melton and Jeff Prince the title track -- and it shows how producer Cannon has a sharp ear for material, along with a way with a relaxed groove.
That comfortable, familial atmosphere is one of the best things about Django and Jimmie and extends far beyond the marquee names; the studio pros, friends, family, and fellow travelers who support Willie and Merle help give this a warm, worn-in feel that's appealing on its own terms.
As comforting as the vibe is, it's the singers and their songs that linger.
Neither Nelson nor Haggard make any attempt to hide their age -- Willie is a bit thinner than he used to be, Merle a bit growlier -- and their age is affecting when they revisit songs from the past, whether they wrote them or not (Hag's "Swinging Doors" is revived, as is the country standard "Family Bible" and Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right").
This nod to the passage of time isn't as explicit as "Live This Long" or "Missing Ol' Johnny Cash," where they bring in fellow survivor Bobby Bare to reminisce about their old pal.
Often, country memories can get maudlin, but Willie and Merle are filled with good humor here and the pair often strike a delicate balance of fun and sweet melancholy which gives Django and Jimmie a soulful lift.
Both singers are aware they're approaching the twilight, but they're not cursing the dark, they're enjoying the sunset.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Django and JimmieJimmy Melton, Jeff Prince | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 02:53 | 6 MB | 15 MB |
| 2 | It's All Going to PotBuddy Cannon, Jamey Johnson, Larry Shell | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 02:59 | 6 MB | 19 MB |
| 3 | Unfair Weather FriendMarla Cannon-Goodman, Ward Davis | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 04:15 | 9 MB | 20 MB |
| 4 | Missing Ol' Johnny CashMerle Haggard | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 03:27 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 5 | Alice in HulalandBuddy Cannon, Willie Nelson | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 03:03 | 7 MB | 15 MB |
| 6 | Family BibleWalt Breeland, Paul Buskirk, Claude Gray | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 03:37 | 8 MB | 19 MB |
| 7 | It's Only MoneyBuddy Cannon, Willie Nelson | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 03:57 | 9 MB | 25 MB |
| 8 | Swinging DoorsMerle Haggard | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 02:52 | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| 9 | Where Dreams Come to DieBuddy Cannon, Willie Nelson | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 03:19 | 7 MB | 16 MB |
| 10 | Somewhere BetweenMerle Haggard | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 03:24 | 7 MB | 18 MB |
| 11 | Driving the HerdBuddy Cannon, Willie Nelson | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 02:51 | 6 MB | 15 MB |
| 12 | The Only Man Wilder Than MeMerle Haggard | Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson | Play | 02:35 | 5 MB | 13 MB |
| 13 | Live This Song | Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard | Play | 03:36 | 8 MB | 19 MB |
| 14 | Don't Think Twice, It's Alright | Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard | Play | 04:11 | 9 MB | 23 MB |
| 47 mins | 107 MB | |||||
| 47 mins | 258 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natthaphol Abhigantaphand | Assistant |
| 2 | Bobby Bare | Guest Artist |
| 3 | Eddie Bayers | Drums |
| 4 | Eli Beaird | Bass |
| 5 | Larry Beaird | Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 6 | Wyatt Beard | Vocals (Background) |
| 7 | Jim De Blanc | Engineer |
| 8 | Walt Breeland | Composer |
| 9 | Jim "Moose" Brown | Piano |
| 10 | Jake Burns | Assistant Engineer |
| 11 | Paul Buskirk | Composer |
| 12 | Shawn Camp | Composer, Guitar (Acoustic) |
| 13 | Buddy Cannon | Composer, Producer |
| 14 | Melonie Cannon | Vocals (Background) |
| 15 | Marla Cannon-Goodman | Composer |
| 16 | Renato Caranto | Saxophone |
| 17 | Tony Castle | Engineer, Mixing |
| 18 | Steve Chadie | Engineer |
| 19 | Danny Clinch | Photography |
| 20 | Joe Corey | Assistant Engineer |
| 21 | Tony Creasman | Drums |
| 22 | Andrew Darby | Assistant |
| 23 | Ward Davis | Composer |
| 24 | Dan Dugmore | Guitar (Steel) |
| 25 | Bob Dylan | Composer |
| 26 | Greg Eliason | Assistant Engineer |
| 27 | Shannon Finnegan | Production Coordination |
| 28 | Kevin Grantt | Bass, Bass (Upright) |
| 29 | Claude Gray | Composer |
| 30 | Marv Green | Composer |
| 31 | John Guess | Engineer |
| 32 | Ben Haggard | Guitar (Electric) |
| 33 | Merle Haggard | Composer, Primary Artist |
| 34 | Frank Harkins | Creative Director |
| 35 | Tony Harrell | Keyboards |
| 36 | Joseph Holguin | Assistant Engineer |
| 37 | Jamey Johnson | Bugle, Composer, Flugelhorn, Guest Artist, Vocals (Background) |
| 38 | Mike Johnson | Acoustic Slide Guitar, Dobro, Guitar (Steel) |
| 39 | Alison Krauss | Vocals (Background) |
| 40 | Liana Manis | Vocals (Background) |
| 41 | Catherine Styron Marx | Hammond B3, Piano |
| 42 | Jimmy Melton | Composer |
| 43 | Andrew Mendelson | Mastering |
| 44 | Willie Nelson | Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist |
| 45 | Ernesto Olvera | Assistant Engineer |
| 46 | Ace Otten | Engineer |
| 47 | Jeff Prince | Composer |
| 48 | Mickey Raphael | Harmonica |
| 49 | Django Reinhardt | Tributee |
| 50 | Jimmie Rodgers | Tributee |
| 51 | Federico Ruiz | Art Direction, Design |
| 52 | Jacob Sciba | Assistant Engineer |
| 53 | Larry Shell | Composer |
| 54 | Jeremy Simoneaux | Assistant Engineer |
| 55 | Mike Stankiewicz | Assistant Engineer |
| 56 | Bobby Terry | Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) |
| 57 | Lonnie Wilson | Drums |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |