Texas In My Soul

Produced by Chet Atkins and comprised entirely of songs related to Texas, 1968’s Texas In My Soul is among the most focused and enjoyable packages Willie Nelson released in the '60s. “San Antonio,” “Streets of Laredo” and “The Hill Country Theme” are bolstered by Atkins’ elegant production, which utilizes the widest tonal palette of any records that came out of ‘60s Nashville. There is the corny yet charming swing of “Dallas,” the hushed Western swing of “Who Put All My Ex’s In Texas” and the historical chestnut “Remember the Alamo,” which Willie invests with the requisite conviction and poignancy. “The Hill Country Theme” is a Cindy Walker original written for a television documentary about Lyndon Johnson — having Nelson sing it gives the song so many levels of Lone Star credentials that it becomes a layer cake of state pride. In the years to follow Nelson would make a more corporeal tribute to his home state by relocating to Austin and drawing inspiration from the town’s localized atmosphere. Meantime there's an indispensable magic at work when Willie takes to the wistful, chiming rendition of “There’s a Little Bit of Everything In Texas.”