Nelson, Willie

Broken Bridges

In this bittersweet story about family love and redemption the death of a loved one brings fading country music star Bo Price (Toby Keith) back to his hometown where he is reunited with his childhood sweetheart (Kelly Preston) and meets his 16-year-old daughter for the first time. Can Bo mend the bridges that were broken when he up and left his home and loved ones for fame and fortune?System Requirements:Run Time: 105 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: PG - 13 UPC: 097363471240 Manufacturer No: 347124

Broken Bridges, starring country superstar Toby Keith, is the Country Music Channel's debut entry into the world of feature films. Though it plays more like a televised movie of the week--complete with an opaque plot, much tears, and a happy ending--Broken Bridges is a guilty pleasure, thanks in large part to the surprising likeability (though not believability) of Keith. The tall singer plays Bo Price, a struggling musician who heads back to his small hometown for his younger brother's funeral. There, he runs into his high-school sweetheart Angela Dalton (Kelly Preston) and her teenage daughter Dixie (Lindsey Haun, daughter of Air Supply guitarist Jimmy Haun). It comes as no surprise to the viewer that Dixie is Bo's child--a daughter he never knew he had. Though she doesn't share her father's gruff personality, she did inherit his musical aptitude and stage presence. While Burt Reynolds chews up the scenery as Angela's father, Tess Harper--playing his wife--doesn't get much to do other than look worried. Look for BeBe Winans and Willie Nelson to make guest appearances as themselves. As for Bo and Angela? She makes a feeble attempt to resist her ex's charms by laying down the law. "I came out here to lay down the ground rules," she tells him. "Don't speak to my parents. Don't speak to Angela. And don't speak to me." Rules, of course, are meant to be broken, especially in feel-good movies such as this. --Jae-Ha Kim

Townes Van Zandt - Be Here to Love Me

As a musician Townes Van Zandt was legendary -- perhaps one of the greatest who ever lived inspiring artists from Bob Dylan to Norah Jones to Steve Earle. As a man a husband and a father his life was as tragic and as beautiful as the songs he wrote. Townes was an enigma to his family pinned between a deep longing for home and the nomadic lifestyle that was necessary for his livelihood. Director Margaret Brown's BE HERE TO LOVE ME is an artful expertly directed portrait of both of these sides of Van Zandt and ultimately serves as an insightful look at the sacrifices challenges and consequences faced in pursuit of a dream. Haunting and lyrical BE HERE TO LOVE ME combines emotional interviews with friends and family with never seen footage of Townes Van Zandt; from rare performance and interview footage to intimate portraits shot in Van Zandt s own home. Format: DVD AUDIO Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 660200312428 Manufacturer No: PALMDV3124

You might have never heard of Townes Van Zandt. You might not even know his songs. But this Texan's music was profoundly influential on his peers--so much so that some of the folks interviewed for Be Here to Love Me, a documentary about Van Zandt's work and difficult life, call him one of the best songwriters, maybe even the best, in American history. That's a stretch, but there's no doubting the man's talent; his two best-known tunes, "Pancho and Lefty" (popularized by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard) and "If I Needed You" (a beautiful Emmylou Harris-Don Williams duet), by themselves guarantee him a spot in a few Halls of Fame. But the Van Zandt chronicled in director Margaret Brown's 100-minute film was his own worst enemy. Born in 1944, he was a troubled young man who played Russian roulette for kicks, deliberately fell off a fourth-floor balcony, and was placed in a mental home, where shock treatments robbed him of significant parts of his memory and personality. Married three times, he was also wedded to the bottle, which ultimately destroyed him (he died of a heart attack in 1997). Be Here to Love Me details these events through various interviews with Van Zandt himself, as well as Nelson, Harris, Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, and other notables. But whereas a fellow tippler like singer Guy Clark fondly remembers the good times, Van Zandt's family tells a different story: "Bummer," replies one ex-wife when asked to describe living with him, while his eldest son, JT, betrays a good deal of bitterness about a dad who couldn't control his own life, wasn't much of a family man, and died young and unfulfilled. DVD extras include several Van Zandt performances (in addition to clips throughout the main program), which is a good thing; were it not for his soulful, affecting songs, there wouldn't be a lot to admire about this guy. --Sam Graham

Willie Nelson - Last of the Breed

Thirty-five songs recorded by the country music trio of Merle Haggard Willie Nelson and Ray Price are featured on this release. The trio is captured on camera on the final date of their "The Last of the Breed" tour and the incredible set list includes songs such as "Always On My Mind" "Take Me Back to Tulsa" and "Okie from Muskogee."System Requirements:Run Time: 90 minutes Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961774559 Manufacturer No: AAE-77455

Traditional Western swing and good ol' fashioned honky-tonk music just doesn't get any better than this. With a short run of 15 performances in 2007, the Last of the Breed tour united Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Ray Price to celebrate their elder-statesmen status as Country Music Hall of Famers with over 150 years of shared experience between them. They truly are the last of their breed, and their history speaks for itself: Price gave Willie his first big career break in the late 1950s (he signed Nelson to tour with him--as a bass player!), and Nelson played a pivotal role with Haggard on some of country music's most beloved collaborations. Their continued vitality is on full display throughout this 35-song concert recorded at the Rosemont Theater in Rosemont, Illinois, on March 25, 2007. It's a mid-sized venue, and this was strictly a no-frills performance with a plain stage, a sold-out crowd, and the pure pleasure of masterful musicianship. At 81 years old, Price looks rheumy and tired at times (he was ailing toward the end of the tour), but his soothing voice remains smooth and steady through such time-honored hits as "For the Good Times" and "San Antonio Rose," with the Cherokee Cowboys providing flawless back-up in Grand Ol' Opry tradition.

Led by Ray Benson throughout the two-hour concert, Asleep at the Wheel performs a pair of golden oldies ("Route 66" and "Miles and Miles of Texas") before Merle Haggard comes on for an eight-song set, effortlessly demonstrating his skill with fiddle and Fender. By the time Willie Nelson strolls onstage to trade vocals with Haggard on "Okie from Muskogee," "Pancho and Lefty," and three other favorites, it's clear that Last of the Breed is truly something special. This isn't the best performance ever given by these men or these bands (including Mickey Raphael on harmonica and Theresa Lane Haggard on backup vocals), but it's darn sure good enough, with some blissful moments of perfection at regular intervals. Special guest Freddie Powers appears for a breezy rendition of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter," and then Nelson, Haggard, and Price trade vocals on three songs (including Nelson's timeless classic "Crazy") before Willie takes over for a five-song set of his solo classics, including "On the Road Again," a pair of humorous new songs ("Superman" and "You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore") and a show-closing performance of "Whiskey River" with everyone onstage. Despite a few rough edges, Last of the Breed is still a treasure to cherish, not simply for long-time devotees of country music but for anyone who wants to see and hear (in crisp, clean 5.1-channel digital surround sound) what real country music should sound like. DVD bonus features include Benson's delightful half-hour interview with Nelson, Haggard, and Price, and Nelson's personally guided tour of his lavishly appointed tour bus. For anyone who cares about the legacy of country music's greatest performers, Last of the Breed is nothing less than essential. --Jeff Shannon

The Highwaymen - On the Road Again

Four of the greatest legends of country music join together. Johnny Cash sings Folsom Prison Blues, Willie Nelson performs Always on my Mind, Kris Kristofferson solos in Help me Make it Through the Night, and Waylon Jennings sings Luckenbach, Texas. Also includes Highwayman, Good Hearted Woman, Theme from Dukes of Hazzard, Loving Her Was Easy, Mamas Don't Let Your Sons Grow Up to be Cowboys, Are You Sure Hank Done it This Way, Me and Bobby McGhee, Get Rhythm, Crazy, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, Big River, On the Road Again..

Willie Nelson and Friends - Live & Kickin'

Korean War Stories

Songwriter

Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson as a pair of hard-living Texans in this funny original and very real look at the country music business. Doc Jenkins (Nelson) may be one of C&W s most beloved stars but his private life is a wreck. He s split up with his longtime partner Blackie Buck (Kristofferson) a country outlaw with a heart of gold. Doc s singer-wife Honey Carder (Melinda Dillon) has thrown him out of the house. And now he s gotten involved with a sleazy music manager Rodeo Rocky (Richard C. Sarafian) who s out to steal his material. Teaming up with Blackie Doc takes drastic measures to win back his family and reclaim his songs. It s Willie and Kris on the road again sharing music and raising hell!System Requirements:Running Time: 93 Min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 043396042636 Manufacturer No: 04263

Kenny Rogers - The Journey

For nearly five decades legendary country music artist Kenny Rogers has entertained audiences all over the world with his charm and wit instantly recognizable voice and chart-topping hits. The Journey is a live concert experience woven throughout with an intimate portrait of Rogers' life story told through his art exclusive interviews with friends and his music. With a 40-year career celebrated by 63 albums three Grammy® Awards eight Academy of Country Music Awards 18 American Music Awards and 11 People's Choice Awards no wonder Rogers was voted "Favorite Singer of All Time" by PM Magazine/USA Today readers.The Journey contains:Kenny's Classic Hits Plus Five New Songs From His 2006 International TourRare Music Video "Tell It All Brother" from His Early CareerBehind-the-Scenes Studio Rehearsal with Dolly PartonKenny Rogers Photography GalleryThe Ones That Got Away - Extended Interviews with David Foster and Lionel RichieSystem Requirements:Running Time: 90 MinutesFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS Rating: NR UPC: 743452199822 Manufacturer No: GH1998

Kenny Rogers: The Journey is a solid and engaging account of Rogers' lengthy career in music, certain to teach any viewer something they didn't know about the many chapters in the superstar's life as an artist. A documentary, The Journey is a mix of concert footage (most of it archival) and interviews with Rogers, as well as numerous insights from key people in his history of making hit records. The overall message is that Rogers has been a class act from the very beginning, certain of his work ethic as well as his talent and ability to choose the right collaborators. High points include Rogers' reunion with the Bobby Doyle Three, the jazz-vocal group he joined right out of high school, and a smooth duet with Willie Nelson on Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" (a performance in which Rogers resurrects his old skills playing upright bass). There's a lot of discussion about Rogers' instincts for finding great duet partners of the female variety: Dottie West, Kim Carnes, Dolly Parton, and even Sheena Easton (who, apparently, didn't get along with Rogers too well). Various insights about the early stages of Rogers' musical evolution are very interesting, especially his comments about the pop-folk group the New Christy Minstrels proving too restricting, giving rise to Rogers' soft-rock band the First Edition, followed by a solo career he feared would become "too country" with his smash hit, "Lucille." Also a lot of fun: Lionel Richie's self-effacing account of producing Rogers' successful attempt at a country-R&B crossover, "Lady." --Tom Keogh

Antone's Home of the Blues

Renowned club owner and blues aficionado Clifford Antone s life and career are celebrated in this extraordinary film. Performances by blues legends Buddy Guy B.B. King Stevie Ray Vaughan Albert Collins Pinetop Perkins and more ignite the stage along with contemporary and archival footage that capture the magic that famed Austin blues club Antone s bottled on a nightly basis for over 29 years. In addition to the musical performances Antone s: Home of the Blues also includes interviews with Clifford Antone as well as B.B. King Willie Nelson ZZ Top s Billy Gibbons Buddy Guy Jimmie Vaughan and much more in this exciting glimpse into the magic of the blues.System Requirements:Running Time: 91 MinFormat: DVD AUDIO Genre: MUSIC DVD/CONCERTS UPC: 741952638094 Manufacturer No: KOC-DV-6380

The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles

Willie Nelson, one of the most influential musical figures of the past quar ter century performs on this DVD for the first time with Ray Charles. Filme d live at the Austin Opera House. Track listing: Always on My Mind * Angel Eyes * Seven Spanish Angels * I Can't Stop Loving You * Georgia * Mountain Dew * My Window Faces South * There Will Never Be Another You * To All the Girls I Loved Before * Without a Song * Who Will Buy My Memories * Whiskey River. Approx. 91 min. ?