Although there is only one amazing Willie Nelson, other artists are in a similar vein to the Red-Headed Stranger. Their material is like his, their vocal style resembles his, and their rugged onstage persona reminds us of him. That said, we picked out a few singers who fit this description. Chances are you know them very well already. They are men and a woman who are renowned stalwarts of the genre. So let's get to it with Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Guy Clark, and Emmylou Harris.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Kris Kristofferson
No less a cultural god than Bob Dylan said of Kristofferson per the bio on Kristofferson's web site, "You can look at Nashville pre-Kris and post-Kris, because he changed everything." In fact, he got together with his buddies Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Waylon Jennings to form a group called The Highwaymen. Kristofferson joshed that, "'Every time I look at a picture of Willie and me and John and Waylon, I find it amazing that they let the janitor in there,'" he told journalist Mikal Gilmore." He was one of the true greats. Kristofferson contributed so much of immense value to country music with both his singing and songwriting.
Waylon Jennings
Another member of The Highwaymen alongside Nelson and the others, Jennings was a real dyed-in-the-wool rebel. Per his bio on the Country Music Hall of Fame web site, he was an outlaw in the Willie Nelson mold. The two recorded an album called Waylon & Willie in 1978 and it stayed on the charts for an astounding 126 weeks. At least one track on it became a classic - "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys." Other tracks were written by Kris Kristofferson and Nelson himself.
Guy Clark
Clark was a man of many notable achievements, according to the bio on his web site. He is in the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame and won a Grammy (he got seven other Grammy nominations). Clark was honored with the ACM Poet's Award. His hits included "Desperadoes Waiting for a Train" and "L.A. Freeway." Clark penned songs for a bunch of country music legends such as Jerry Jeff Walker, Vince Gill, and Johnny Cash, per the News Tribune.
Emmylou Harris
Harris represents the top of the country music heap. Per the bio on her web site, she has been honored with 14 Grammy Awards, a Billboard Century Award, three CMA Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Harris has actually recorded with Willie Nelson. Other monumental talents she has worked with include "Linda Ronstadt, Daniel Lanois, Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler, Neil Young, Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Ryan Adams, Beck, Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett and Rodney Crowell."
