How many women can say that Willie Nelson wrote a variety of songs for them – songs for them to sing and songs for him to sing about them? Academy Award-nominated actress and singer Amy Irving is on the shortlist.
Irving played a corner in Nelson’s love triangle in the country singer’s debut movie Honeysuckle Rose in 1980. The pair has remained friends for more than four decades, and Irving will release an album of Nelson’s songs on April 25.
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Always Will Be is a 10-song collection of reimagined versions of the tunes with collaborations including Nelson, Steve Earle, Amy Helm, Lizzie No, and Louis Cato.
Nelson wrote “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” for her character to sing in the movie, and he performed it with her on Always Will Be. The same is true for “If You Want Me To Love You I Will,” except she reimagined that song into a punk rock version for her album of Nelson covers and sings it with Goolis. Goolis, whose given name is Jules David Bartkowski, leads Irving’s 11-piece band and wrote song arrangements for her album.
Willie Nelson wrote “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” for Amy Irving
“Willie wrote me a sweet song to sing to him in the movie Honeysuckle Rose,” says Irving about the new single. “In my band and Goolis’ hands, it ain’t too sweet anymore! I had so much fun shooting this video and giving this song new life for my album.”
While Always Will Be isn’t available until next week, fans can hear Irving’s version of “If You Want Me To Love You I Will” now.
In addition to Nelson, other special guests on the album include Steve Earle, Amy Helm, Lizzie No, and Louis Cato.
The album was Nelson’s idea. He joined her for a reimagined version of his “I’m Waiting Forever” on a separate project, which prompted the icon to suggest Irving tackle an entire album of his music. She included other songs inspired by her character, too.
The singer and actress remembers the conversation that prompted Nelson to write “I Guess I’ve Come To Live Here in Your Eyes” soon after they met.
Amy Irving Made a Punk Rock Version
“When I first got there, he said he noticed that we both have eyes set far apart on our heads,” Irving recalled. “He said, ‘Well, I do believe you, and I think you and I are going to be able to see eye to eye.’ And then he wrote the song. I know that one had to go on the album, of course. But the way he sings it, that’s the thing about Willie’s songs.”
Chris Pierce joined Irving for the song on the album.
Irving said Willie Nelson is “thrilled” with Always Will Be and keeps asking when it will come out.
“He said, ‘I want to play it on my radio station,’” she said. “He’s very proud of it.”
After Nelson and Irving worked together during Honeysuckle Rose, the friends became more like family. Irving’s son Gabriel needed a summer job when he finished high school. She called Nelson, and he agreed to let the teen work as a roadie for him. Irving said her son had an “amazing experience” and “came back able to smoke everybody under the table.”
“I was so proud,” she laughed.
Then Gabriel wanted to make a movie inspired by his time on the road with Nelson, and Nelson agreed to appear in it. At one point, Nelson even taught him to ride a bike – and then wrote a song about it called “The Bike Riding Song.” Irving sang their bike song, thinking nothing would come of it. However, she said Gabriel got her “really drunk one night” and convinced her to record an entire album based on her performance.
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Nelson sang with Irving on her first album, Born in a Trunk, suggested she record a collection of his songs, and even sent her a list of titles he thought she should include. She sent the list to Goolis, who chose 10 he wanted to work on.
“Jules just wanted to completely change the mood,” she said. “It’s not really a country album.”
She describes “I Guess I’ve Come to Live Here In Your Eyes” as a French pop song, and “If You Want Me to Love You I Will” is punk with an over-the-top music video.
Irving wanted the album to be an opportunity for fans to experience Nelson’s songs in new ways. Now that it’s almost out, she said it’s a surreal feeling.
“I’m having to pinch myself a lot to be able to go onto Spotify and go, ‘Oh, “Always Will Be,” There’s my first single,’” she said. “It’s there, and you can press it, and suddenly it’s playing, and you’ve got it in, and it’s not from your own source. It’s pretty cool.”
Photo credit Gabriel Barreto
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