The country music legend Willie Nelson recorded the country music classic “Always On My Mind” in the year 1982. Nelson’s version received a Grammy Award for the song that same year. However, Willie Nelson was not the first, nor the last recording artist to record this popular song. Written by Johnny Christopher, Wayne Carson, and Mark James, the song was first recorded by legendary country singer Brenda Lee in 1972. Even with all of the many popular artists that have made recordings of this classic tune, Nelson’s remains one version that stands out and his name comes to the minds of many when asked who made the record famous.
From the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, to blues artist B.B. King, to pop group the Pet Shop Boys, to cartoon characters such as Alvin and the Chipmunks, “Always On My Mind” has been performed and recorded by some of the biggest artists of many different music genres. Other artists such as John Wesley Ryles, Michael Buble, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn have also had a turn recording this song. However, Willie Nelson sent the song soaring to the top of the charts in a way few other artists have.
Nelson’s version of the song reached number one in Canada on the RPM Country Tracks chart as well as in the U.S. on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart. It also reached number two on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and number on the Billboard Hot 100. Canada also saw Nelson charting at number four on the RPM Adult Contemporary Singles and at number ten on the RPM Top Singles. The song also charted in Australia at number thirty nine on the Kent Music Report, in Belgium on the Top 40, coming in at number thirty one, and in the United Kingdom on the Singles Chart at number forty nine. It even reached the Dutch singles chart at number seventeen and the Irish singles chart at number eight. The song “Always On My Mind” also holds the title of the number one country song of the year for the year 1982 on the Billboard charts.
Aside from Nelson’s chart topping success with “Always On My Mind”, his version also won several music awards. At the 1983 Grammy Awards, his version won three awards, one for the songwriters who earned the Song of the Year award and for Best Country Song, and the other for Nelson who earned Best Male Country Vocal Performance. The Nelson version also won Song of the Year for the years 1982 and 1983 for the three songwriters at the Country Music Association Awards, with Willie Nelson receiving the award for 1982’s Single of the Year. The Nelson album entitled Always On My Mind also took the award for Album of the Year in 1982 at the CMA Awards.
This popular Nelson version of this classic song is available on several different albums , the first one being on Always On My Mind, released in 1982 on vinyl, which has since been remastered to CD. It also appears on the 2003 two-disc release The Essential Willie Nelson, and The Very Best Of Willie Nelson, released in 1999, also as a two-disc set. The song can also be found on the three disc collection from 2005 entitled Collection 2: Always On My Mind/ To Lefty From Willie/ Pancho and Lefty. Fans can also find a live performance of the song on the DVD from 2007 called Last of The Breed, which features Nelson along with Merle Haggard and Ray Price.
This song remains a beloved classic from one of country music’s greatest entertainers.
