Interview: Bruce Robison on “One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger”

Bruce Robison — One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger

It’s a beautiful stretch of land out on Highway 71 from the skyscrapers of Austin to the Hill Country in Spicewood. Last May some of the finest songwriters were hand-picked to celebrate Wiliie Nelson’s 89th birthday at his infamous Luck ranch. Producer Bruce Robison has presented this tribute in full for the new release One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger.

“My Mom and Dad had a couple of their eight tracks,” Robison said about Willie Nelson and the Family Band, “and they’re among my first memories of those things just playing incessantly. I think they just kind of became imprinted on what’s the mark of a good song in my mind. It was really a big deal to me.”

Vincent Neil Emerson opens the concert with a blazing rendition of “Bloody Mary Morning,” a tragic road tale of rebellion that was a stand out in the outlaw country era.

“He’s (Emerson) a really great songwriter,” Robison said, “and I think all of these artists that are on there show how formative Willie was. I look at them as young and full of piss and vinegar and really able to deliver those songs with the attitude they deserve.”

Robison built upon those early childhood memories while forming his own catalog as a singer songwriter.

“I felt they were real simple stories that people could relate to that were the same things we all go though,” Robison said.

Robison first met Nelson at a benefit dinner and was instantly star struck, struggling to get a few words together over a couple holes of golf.

“He’s just the gold standard of a songwriter who’s done so many things,” Robison said. “I’m probably a notorious fan boy.”

Robison penned the song “What Would Willie Do,” and was honored to be selected to produce the tribute album just in time for Nelson’s 90th birthday. The Next Waltz was designed to showcase the great songwriting in Nelson’s career, bringing together some of the biggest alt-country stars of the past and present including Robert Earl Keen, Margo Price, Shinyribs, Emily Gimble, Sheryl Crow, Nathaniel Rateliff, Steve Earle, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Phosphorescent.

“This record is about showing what a singular talent Willie Nelson is,” Robison said. “Even though there were some of them that he didn’t play a lot, they were almost all really big hits.”
It’s hard to explain how much he’s a part of our lives here. It was a magical night.”

More information on One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger can be found here:
https://www.thenextwaltz.com/