Willie Nelson & Ben Harper - Midnight Rider

This is part of the television concert "Outlaws and Angels" which was also released as an album in 2004.
This clip features performances from Willie Nelson with: Ben Harper, Lee Ann Womack, Toby Keith, and Merle Haggard.
I really love the first performance of this clip which is Willie Nelson with Ben Harper playing the song "Midnight Rider". Ben Harper delivers an amazing piece of lap steel guitar playing. I really love the sound of that slide playing, it's great.
The song "Midnight Rider" was originally done by The Allman Brothers Band. The song is off the band's 1970 album "Idlewild South". The song was written by Gregg Allman and Richard Payne. It has become a fixture in the band's live performances, and renditions by Joe Cocker, Gregg Allman himself, and Willie Nelson have all reached the charts as singles.
I really love this performance, it's really good, and again that slide playing, man that just sounds so good.

Enjoy ; )

Snoop Dogg ft. Wille Nelson - My Medicine

This is the music video to the song "My Medicine" by hip hop artist Snoop Dogg. On this song he explores a bit of country and western influence and also something that is more rockabilly sounding. I really respect him for doing something like this and experimenting like this. He doesn't take himself too seriously and that's why he's so cool.
The song is off Snoop's 2008 album "Ego Trippin'". The album was his 9th studio album.
The video says "ft. Willie Nelson", but he isn't really in the song that much. A little bit towards the end and he also sings a little bit there, but it's very little. And on the album version he isn't credited, so seems a little weird to me.
It's a great song though. And it's great to see that Snoop diggs outlaw country too. Always good to have a broad musical horizon.

Enjoy ; )

Cream - Sitting on Top of the World (Robert Cray)

This is a live version of the song "Sitting on Top of the World" live at the Royal Albert Hall in 2005. It was their reunion concert.
The song has a long history of covers and various performers. It was originally written by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon. It has been covered by an area of well known blues artists such as: Robert Cray, Big Bill Broonzy, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Bob Dylan, Taj Mahal, Willie Nelson, Jack White and B.B. King.
The version Cream covered was the one recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1957. The Cream version was released in 1968. I think that these bluesy interpenetrations of this classic song are both great. I also really like it the way Robert Cray plays it. It's a little more laid back and a little slower, and of course his playing adds to the experience. (Cray version embeded below).

I think it's a really good performance, and I really think that Cream did an amazing job on this. Clapton's playing is superb, Ginger's drumming is fitting and not too over the top and Jack Bruce sings the song beautifully and plays the harmonica on it as well. A great performance, no two great performances!

Enjoy ; )

The Highway Men - Big River

This is a live performance by the country supergroup The Highway Men. They perform the classic Johnny Cash song "Big River". The Highway Men is a supergroup consisting of various members who are most known for influencing the sub-genre of country known as "outlaw country". The genre was big in the 60's and 70's and also somewhat popular in the 80's. It is known for having a specific sound, and the artists are often self-declared outlaws in music.
The song Big River is a Johnny Cash original and it was released in 1958. Cash is also one of the members of the band, alongside; Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. I think it's a really good performance, and a really well written song.
Of course as with so many other good songs it has been covered. My favourite cover is the one done by Motörhead front man Lemmy. He really sings it well and it somehow fits his voice really well. I've embeded that version beneath.


Enjoy ; )