Consequence of Sound and Sony Music Entertainment have partnered together for another season of The Opus, a podcast that explores legendary albums and their ongoing legacy. To kick off their fourth season, the series is heading South as it revisits one of country’s most beloved albums, Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger, with new host Andy Bothwell, aka Astronautalis. Over three episodes, The Opus will dig into what the record meant then and how it has impacted music now.
In the first episode, Bothwell is joined by legendary Texas historian Joe Nick Patoski and music writer Rebecca Bengal. Together, they discuss the significance of Red Headed Stranger and how it shaped the life and career of the iconic Willie Nelson.
Next year sees Nelson’s 18th studio record turn 45, making this the perfect time to revisit the classic LP. Given more creative freedom over his music thanks to a new contract and a new label, Nelson returned to the concept album form with Red Headed Stranger. Weaving covers of old standards in with poetic, stripped down originals, he created an outlaw country tale that transcended its genre into the mainstream consciousness.
Fans can stream the first episode today at consequenceofsound.net/2019/09/the-opus-willie-nelson-episode-one.
On the upcoming season of The Opus, Consequence of Sound editor in chief Michael Roffman shares, “Every great record has an infinite number of stories to tell, not just from when it was recorded, or when it was released, but for all time, as the music continues to reach and impact new people. We are so excited to join forces with Sony Music Entertainment and Astronautalis to dive deep into some of the greatest records of all time, and share their stories with everyone.”
Past seasons of The Opus have explored the ever-evolving legacies of three iconic records: Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks, The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Electric Ladyland, and Jeff Buckley’s Grace.
Fans can expect a new album to be explored each month on The Opus. For more information, visit https://consequenceofsound.net/theopus.