Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger Album

Willie Nelson toiled as a songwriter larger unknown as a performer until the Red Headed Stranger album was released in 1975. The disc is essentially a tour through the Old West that catapulted Nelson to stardom, though it only cost $20,000 to produce. Nelson got complete artistic control with this album which left Columbia skeptical, but when he came out with country chart toppers like "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" and "Remember Me" they realized they had a star. Nelson's singing style is sparse, stripped down, powerful and hauntingly beautiful and this album set the stage for decades of success.