3 Songs Written by Willie Nelson That Became Incredible Hits for Other Artists

Willie Nelson’s work as a songwriter helped create major hits for Patsy Cline, Al Green and Faron Young. The songs show that his influence reached well beyond his own recordings, with other artists bringing his writing to different audiences.

Nelson wrote “Crazy”, which Cline recorded in 1961 after initially struggling with his demo’s phrasing. “Funny How Time Slips Away” was first recorded by Billy Walker in 1961 and later appeared on Green’s Call Me album; Green and Lyle Lovett also recorded it as a duet in 1994. Nelson’s “Hello Walls” became a No. 1 hit for Young and reached the Top 15 on both Billboard’s Hot 100 and Easy Listening charts.