Energy Follows Thought: The Story Behind My Songs is due this fall
William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, is proud to publish Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs by Willie Nelson with David Ritz and Mickey Raphael on October 31st.
For the first time ever, and as part of his 90th birthday celebration in 2023, American icon Willie Nelson provides the stories behind the lyrics of 160 of his favorite songs, along with a dynamic assortment of never-before-seen photos and ephemera.
From his earliest work in the 1950s to today, Nelson looks back at the songs that have defined his career, from his days of earning $50 each to his biggest hits, from his deep cuts that are incredibly meaningful to him to his concept albums.
Along the way, he also shares the stories of his guitar Trigger, his family and “family,” as well as the artists he collaborated with, including Patsy Cline, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles, Merle Haggard, Ray Price, Dolly Parton, and many others.
Nelson is disarmingly honest, meditating on the nature of songwriting and finding his voice, and the themes he’s explored his whole life—relationships, infidelity, love, loss, friendship, life on the road, and particularly poignant at this juncture of his life: mortality.
Revealing, funny, whimsical, and wise, Energy Follows Thought is an enduring tribute to Willie Nelson’s legacy. The book’s publication week will coincide with Nelson’s induction into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on November 3rd.
