A Song Forever On Our Minds
The song “Always On My Mind” is not only considered a classic in country music, but in the music industry as a whole.
Over time, countless artists have released their own recordings of the iconic tune, but none is probably more beloved than Willie Nelson‘s version from his February 11, 1982 album of the same title.
Originally recorded by Gwen McCrae and Brenda Lee in 1972, “Always On My Mind” managed to make its way on the charts, but didn’t experience overwhelming success.
The song’s popularity increased in 1972 when Elvis Presley released his version, which peaked at the third spot on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
But it was Nelson’s version that gained the most attention, and it quickly soared to the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Nelson’s recording was also a crossover hit, and made its way into the top five on the Billboard Hot 100.
Joining Forces With Female Voices
In 2013, Nelson revisited his version of the song for his duet album To All the Girls.
For his duet partner, Nelson chose the incredibly talented Carrie Underwood, who was honored to sing the song with him.
“It’s just one of those beautiful, classic songs that everybody knows and everybody’s sung…” said Underwood in an interview for Nelson’s YouTube channel. “For me to be able to say I sang it with Willie Nelson is pretty awesome.”
Underwood’s sweet, angelic voice is perfect for the track, and the contrast between her voice and Nelson’s raspy vocals make for a beautiful combination.
Even though Nelson and Underwood’s duet was never released as a single, it truly stands out from the other songs on his album. Once you hear the way Nelson and Underwood’s voices sound together, you’ll know why.
You can listen to Nelson and Underwood’s rendition of “Always On My Mind” in the video below.
We can’t think of anyone better than Underwood sing such an iconic song along with Nelson!
