Forgotten Outlaw – Willis Alan Ramsey
Back in the mid 70’s-the first time country music was saved- The Outlaws of country like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings found a home and harbor from Nashville’s ill ways in the Austin, TX singer-songwriter scene. People like Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael Martin Murphy, Townes Van Zandt, and Ray Wylie Hubbard had made Austin a vibrant music scene, and a viable alternative to Nashville.
But one of the most important singer/songwriters, and one given credit for writing one of the most solid and most influential albums of that time is a man you may have never heard of. His name is Willis Alan Ramsey, and you may have never heard the name for good reason. After releasing his first and only self-titled album, he nearly fell off the face of the earth.
Willis Alan Ramsey was born in Birmingham, AL, and raised in Dallas. He graduated high school in 1969, moved to Austin, and released his only album on Shelter Records. He rarely played out, never toured, and shortly after the record came out he opted out of the contract with Shelter, and fell completely out of the public eye.
The album was a huge critical success, but without a follow up album and without the support of live shows or tours, the album and the man were virtually forgotten in the public realm, even though within the Austin scene of serious fans and songwriters, the album and the man were virtually peerless. For years after his first release, rumors of a second album swirled, but none was ever released. The mythical second Ramsey album was so rumored and talked about around Austin it became a colloquialism: “It’ll happen when the second Willis Alan Ramsey album is released.” In other words, never.
But Ramsey’s lack of being prolific doesn’t take anything away from his legacy, and I don’t think it is a stretch to put him at the top of the elite list of artists who heavily influenced the Outlaw Country and Texas singer-songwriter scene.
Ramsey’s one album spawned a bevy of cover songs from big named artists, including Waylon Jennings’ cover of “Satin Sheets,” Jerry Jeff Walker and Jimmy Buffet’s versions of “Northeast Texas Women,” and Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s “Goodbye to Old Missoula”. Ramsey also wrote “Muskrat Candlelight,” a song that became “Muskrat Love” and was a hit for both the group America and Captain & Tennille. Though I never appreciated or even understood this song from the more popular versions, Ramsey’s version is not only tolerable, but a standout track of the album.
Willis Alan Ramsey has a pure country sound, with that poetic Texas flavor and wise arrangement and style. His lyrics are astounding and simple all at the same time. He is a top notch wordsmith with a keen voice and a country heart. How he got away with only making one album is a tragedy and a thing of beauty at the same time. Leave the audience yearning for more I guess.
For whatever reason, Ramsey was not destined to be a long-term participant in the Texas songwriter scene, but his one album is legendary to say the least. Ramsey moved to England in the 80’s without that mythical second album seeing the light of day, and then moved back in the 90’s where he began to dabble with music some more, penning Lyle Lovett’s hit, “That’s Right, You’re Not From Texas.”
In 2000, Ramsey made an appearance on Austin City Limits, and if you go to YouTube, you can find some recent videos of him performing live at the legendary Threadgill’s. There is also new rumors of a new Ramsey album named “Gentilly,” but we will see.
If you have a big collection of mid 70’s Outlaw Country and love that sound, but thought the keg was tapped, you might have one more chance to feel that vintage Outlaw Texas Country sound fresh once again. And if you are just starting your collection, Willis Alan Ramsey is a good place to start. Either way, if you fancy yourself a Texas songwriter fan, he is essential.
You can preview tracks from Willis Alan Ramsey HERE.
Willis Alan Ramsey: The Album
Mean Old Man Jerry Lee Lewis; New Releases; Asleep At the Wheel vs. Lyle Lovett and His Large Band | The 9513
August 25, 2009 @ 8:43 am
[…] his whole career, Willis Alan Ramsey only released one album, but Saving Country Music doesn’t believe “it is a stretch to put him at the top of the […]
Terry Mathews
August 26, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
I’m one of WAR’s most loyal fans. Have been waiting for the 2nd album and will not give up hope. The Green Album contains many of the songs from the soundtrack of my life … Saw him live at Big State festival in College Station two years ago. He’s grayer and older, to be sure, but he hasn’t lost a musical step. It was a moment for me.
Hope “Gentilly” sees the light of day before I die. 🙂
The Triggerman
August 26, 2009 @ 7:02 pm
Hey Terry,
I was really happy to see that he has been out performing. That makes me think he’s serious about another album, and maybe being involved in the music scene more.
Martin Luther Presley
August 27, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
Great post! I only know this man via Lyle’s STEP INSIDE THIS HOUSE album, an album I enjoy a lot. Will definitely try and get WAR’s album, sure sounds like I will love it. I dig the folks from Texas, Townes is my favorite songwriter ever and Guy Clark’s first album Old No.1 has been my all-time favorite album for many years now, no matter what genre.
The Triggerman
August 27, 2009 @ 4:54 pm
Then you will like his album. All those Texas songwriters list him as an influence.
Pete Berwick
September 10, 2009 @ 9:52 pm
Great article,amazing and sad at the same time. Amazing because it proves that the greatest artists are those who will never be houshold names. Sad because it is the story of an artist who seems to have squandered a God given talent. Will Alan Ramsey has a brilliant sound and is a brilliant songwriter. I encourage every songwriter to google the lyrics to his song “The Ballad Of Spider John.”
It is no wonder Jimmy Buffett recorded that song, and calls it “one of them songs I wish I had written.” To me it is the example of the perfectly crafted song, a showcase in brilliant and unparalleled songwriting.
It is mysterious how Willis “fell off the face of the earth” as he had all it took to be more better known, but perhaps he found peace and happiness elsewhere. I googled him after this article and had a good laugh from something he would tell fans when asked when he was going to record his next album. His reply was, “why, is there something wrong with the first one?”
That statement in itself tells me this one of a kind yet virtually unknown artist most likely has found peace in his own heart, perhaps a peace that has allowed him to live a life other than one chasing fame and fortune, which has killed off more than one legend.
Saving Country Music » Blog Archive » Willis Alan Ramsey Delivers in Dallas
August 27, 2010 @ 7:11 am
[…] Willis Alan Ramsey Delivers in Dallas August 27th, 2010 […]
Gary Primeaux
October 29, 2010 @ 4:09 am
I actually met Willis Alan Ramsey in the early 70s (73-74) at a performance in a small Louisiana bar that was a stage for many of the early songwriters from the Austin music scene. I feel honored to have set across the table from him and shared an adult beverage or two. During our conversation, the topic of when the next “album” was coming out came up. Willis Alan told me himself that another album was complete and was awaiting release. I, like everyone else, waited forever and that release never came. Does anyone know anything about recorded material that has never seen the light of day? Odd that he would have told me that and it never came to fruition.
In recent years I searched the internet and found excellent live recordings of Bayou Girl, Boys Town, Positively, Sympathy for a Train, So Long Baby & Mockingbird Blues. I am not certain that he penned all of these songs, but further searching indicated that he had. It was great finding at least half an album’s worth of new (to me anyway) Willis Alan Ramsey material. I wonder if some of these songs were part of that second recording that never surfaced? Anyway, will definitely look forward to the release of “Gentilly” – if it ever happens.
Flip
September 1, 2012 @ 6:11 pm
Does anyone know who Ramsey is writing about in the Ballad of Spiter John? Any chance it is Spider John Koerner?
Alex
January 4, 2015 @ 11:03 am
I first heard his album in the late 70’s and every word rang true then… and now. Awesome talent and it’s our loss that he hasn’t put out another one. I did search him on Spotify and found a great compilation album called Mad Dogs and Oakies in which he performs Sympathy for a Train and other greats also appear. Highly recommended. Almost as good as whole album of his own….