Willie Nelson: The Barbican, London
Sylvie Simmons, MOJO, 1996
HE STEPS out onstage to a standing ovation and his grizzled, beautifully-ruined face breaks into that huge grin. For a moment the spindly bloke looks like Steptoe in fancy-dress but, strapping on his guitar, he morphs into one of those iconic American cowboy sculptures, fragile, flawed and impossibly heroic all at the same time.
Total word count of piece: 599
Best Databases: RBP is Runner-up in Best Niche category
Video: Johnny Marr talks about Rock's Backpages
download eBooks and audio interviews
RBP on Spotify: The Absolute Best o' Burt
RBP Album Club, June 13th: Miki Berenyi and Lucy O'Brien celebrate a Blondie classic
Essential Listening: Mick Gold meets Patti Smith in '76
Essential Reading: RBP's awesome Ozzy anthology
Essential Reading: Nina Antonia introduces her new poetry collection
RBP Album Club, July 11th: Nick Hornby and Nick Coleman celebrate Southside Johnny's debut