Performer Notes

Personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Danny Timms (guitar, piano, organ, background vocals); Fred Tackett, John Leventhal, Mark Goldenberg, Reggie Young, John Selelowane, Ray Phiri, Grady Martin, Jody Payne (guitar); Robbie Turner (pedal steel, mandolin, bass); Paul Franklin (pedal steel); Eric Bazilian (mandolin); Johnny Gimble (violin); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Bobbie Nelson (piano, Hammond B-3); Benmont Tench (Hammond B-3, Wurlitzer, keyboards); David Campbell (harmonium); James "Hutch" Hutchinson, Mike Leech, Bee Spears (bass); Gene Chrisman, Smitty Smith, Paul English (drums); Billy English (percussion); Mingo Araujo (conga); Paulinho da Costa, Debra Dobkin (percussion); Jimmy Bralower (drum samples).
Additional guest artists: Mark O'Connor (violin, fiddle); Michael Brecker (keyboards); Mark Isham (trumpet); Don Was (bass); Jim Keltner (drums).
Engineers: Rik Pekkonen, Brian Masterson, Richard Travali.
At a time when Don Was was still being heralded for the resurrection of Bonnie Raitt's career, he was brought in to helm Willie Nelson's 1993 release ACROSS THE BORDERLINE. The results were spectacular (despite less-than-stellar sales figures) and even included a Raitt/Nelson duet on "Getting Over You." As was the case so many times in the past, Nelson's choice of material wandered all over the map, once again reflecting the Red Headed Stranger's assertation that a good song is a good song whether it's a country one or not. Thus, he duetted with Sinead O'Connor on Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up," had Mose Allison play piano on Willie Dixon's "I Love The Life I Live" and recorded Paul Simon's "Graceland" and "American Tune," with the author providing guitar accompaniment. Other notable songwriters whose material is given the Nelson treatment are John Hiatt ("[The] Most Unoriginal Sin"), Lyle Lovett ("Farther Down The Line," "If I WereThe Man You Wanted") and Bob Dylan ("What Was It You Wanted.") Nelson and Zim even duet on their co-written "Heartland" a song overflowing with images of foreclosed farms and shattered dreams.

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (5/13/93, p.110) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...an album that seasons the singer's own brand of austere, hard-chugging country swing with echoes of everything from English art rock to Paul Simon's South African- flavored folk rock..."

Spin (7/93, p.16) - "...In the blessed hands and throat of Nelson, the most pompous, didactic, overwraught hooey can feel as comfy and tender as a well-oiled baseball glove..."

Entertainment Weekly (12/31/93) - Cited by Entertainment Weekly as one of 'The Best Country Albums Of 1993' - "...as clear-eyed a portrait of America as anything from John Dos Passos...."

Q (1/94, p.86) - Included in Q's list of 'The 50 Best Albums Of 1993' - "...The old outlaw is back in the saddle again...."

Q (6/93, p.104) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...this album establishes a new benchmark in country celebrity roundups, so star-studded as to almost defy belief...covers considerable ground...brings full circle the finest traditions of two very different generations of Nashville songsmiths..."

Village Voice (3/1/94, p.5) - Ranked #22 in the Village Voice's 1993 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll.

Album: Across the Borderline
#	Song Title	Time
1)	American Tune
2)	Getting over You
3)	Most Unoriginal Sin, The
4)	Don't Give Up
5)	Heartland
6)	Across the Borderline
7)	Graceland
8)	Farther Down the Line
9)	Valentine
10)	What Was It You Wanted?
11)	I Love the Life I Live
12)	If I Were the Man You Wanted
13)	She's Not for You
14)	Still Is Still Moving to Me

Album: Across the Borderline
#	Song Title	Time
1)	American Tune
2)	Getting over You
3)	Most Unoriginal Sin, The
4)	Don't Give Up
5)	Heartland
6)	Across the Borderline
7)	Graceland
8)	Farther Down the Line
9)	Valentine
10)	What Was It You Wanted?
11)	I Love the Life I Live
12)	If I Were the Man You Wanted
13)	She's Not for You
14)	Still Is Still Moving to Me