Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
On This Day in 1980, the Soundtrack to Willie Nelson’s First Starring Film Hit No. 1 and Gave Him One of His Biggest Hits
Willie Nelson’s *Honeysuckle Rose* soundtrack reached No. 1 on the US country albums chart on 12 November 1980, during a six-week run at the top. The film marked Nelson’s first starring role, and the soundtrack helped deliver two of his biggest hit singles.
Nelson wrote most of the songs and produced the double album, which also featured Emmylou Harris, Hank Cochran and Johnny Gimble. Both singles, “On the Road Again” and “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”, topped the country chart. Nelson wrote “On the Road Again” for the film after director Jerry Schatzberg and producer Sydney Pollack asked him for a song about touring; it later earned an Oscar nomination and won a Grammy for Best Country Song.
In short
- *Honeysuckle Rose* soundtrack spent six weeks at No. 1.
- Both of its singles became country chart-toppers.
- Nelson wrote “On the Road Again” for the film.
Explained simply
Willie Nelson is an American country singer and songwriter whose career spans decades. In 1980, he took the lead role in Honeysuckle Rose, a film about a country musician who tours with his family band.
The film’s music drew on Nelson’s songwriting and featured other country artists, including Emmylou Harris. Its songs connected the film to Nelson’s life as a touring musician, a theme that helped “On the Road Again” become one of his best-known songs.