Whiskey River (live)

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning "Whiskey River (live)" by Willie Nelson for all the Zoo Freaks out there. This iconic track, a staple in Nelson’s concerts since the early 1970s, wasn’t actually written by him but by his longtime friend Johnny Bush, alongside Paul Stroud, in 1972. Bush’s original version hit #14 on the country charts, but Nelson’s soulful cover, first recorded for his 1973 album Shotgun Willie, became the definitive rendition. In a 2003 foreword to Bush’s book, Whiskey River (Take My Mind): The True Story of Texas Honky-Tonk, Nelson jokingly wrote, “And then Johnny wrote ‘Whiskey River,’” adding that it made Bush so wealthy he only performs out of love for his fans. The song’s live version, particularly from Nelson’s 1978 album Willie and Family Live, captures its raw energy, peaking at #12 on the country charts and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male.

Another tidbit comes from singer-songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard, a close friend of Nelson’s, who shared on the One by Willie podcast in 2023 that Nelson transformed Bush’s hardcore country shuffle into something with a “jazz, jam-band mind.” Hubbard recounted wild stories of hearing “Whiskey River” live, including a night involving “frighteningly strong weed” and a ventriloquist’s dummy—classic Willie chaos. Nelson’s performance of the song on the pilot episode of Austin City Limits in 1974 also made history as the first song ever played on the show, cementing its place in Texas music lore. On X, Nelson himself posted in October 2024 about that moment, celebrating 50 years of ACL with a nod to the song’s enduring kickoff role.

Willie Nelson, born April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas, started his musical journey early, writing his first song at age seven and joining a local band, Bohemian Polka, by ten. Raised by his grandparents, who nurtured his love for music, he was playing guitar and singing gospel tunes in church as a kid. By high school, he was touring locally as a lead singer and guitarist. After a brief stint in the U.S. Air Force in 1950, Nelson worked odd jobs—saddle maker, tree trimmer, even a bouncer—while gigging at honky-tonks. In the late 1950s, he landed in Houston, teaching guitar and recording early singles like “No Place for Me,” which flopped but showed his grit. Moving to Nashville in 1960, he scraped by, selling songs like “Hello Walls” to Faron Young for grocery money. His songwriting caught fire first, with hits like “Crazy” for Patsy Cline, before his own albums, starting with ...And Then I Wrote in 1962, built his outlaw country legend.

You can keep up with Willie Nelson through his Facebook, Instagram, and X accounts, where he shares tour dates, new music, and throwbacks like that ACL post. Fans also gather at Club Luck, his official fan club, for exclusive content and ticket pre-sales. On Facebook, groups like Willie Nelson Fans buzz with devotees swapping stories and rare photos. For more fan vibes, check out The Willie Nelson and Friends Museum, a treasure trove of memorabilia celebrating his career.