Willie Nelson"s 1965 RCA debut is simple but not raw, elegant but not fragile, sophisticated but not pretentious. The 12 originals within--many of which had already been taken up the charts by other artists--are testament to his uncanny ability as a songwriter to blend refreshing innocence and hard-earned wisdom. His distinctive phrasing was taking shape, and the pared-down, tasteful arrangements focus attention squarely upon his vocals. The result is an album that"s not for dancers at the local honky-tonk, but for the bartender sweeping up alone at night"s end. It"s what Countrypolitan could have been because its beauty transcends hardcore country; it is simply American popular music at its most appealing. --Marc Greilsamer