Test your knowledge of Willie Nelson's biggest hits, deep cuts and iconic moments.
From the opening of 'On the Road Again' to the first line of 'Always on My Mind', Willie Nelson's signatures land on a melody most players know at once. These are the standards of his catalog, and the easy points.
The facts behind Willie run from his guitar to the songs he never wrote: Trigger's worn nylon tone, the 'Stardust' standards, the 'Crazy' he handed to Patsy Cline. The details that settle a close round.
Willie Nelson's catalog runs deep. Start with the signatures everyone knows, then test yourself on his behind-the-beat delivery, the covers he made his own and the Highwaymen duets, and see where your score drops.
Start with the standards of his catalog: 'On the Road Again', 'Always on My Mind', 'Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain' and 'Whiskey River'. Most players name these from the opening line, so they are the easy points at the top of a Willie Nelson round.
Nelson's phrasing sits just behind the rhythm, and Trigger's worn nylon-string tone colors every track. Learn that sound and you can name a Willie recording from a short clip before the title arrives, which is where the delivery, not the song, wins the point.
Plenty of his signatures are songs he did not write. 'Always on My Mind', 'Georgia on My Mind' and the entire 'Stardust' album are pop standards he made his own, so separating a Nelson original from a Nelson cover is where the deeper scores are won.
The trickiest questions sit at the edges. 'Pancho and Lefty' pairs him with Merle Haggard, 'Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys' with Waylon Jennings, and The Highwaymen put him beside Johnny Cash. A thorough Willie Nelson quiz reaches for these team-ups.
Play the Willie Nelson quiz on Songtrivia and find out. Guess songs like 'On the Road Again' and 'Always on My Mind' from a short clip, then answer questions on his outlaw records and the covers he made his own.
Expect the signatures first, 'On the Road Again', 'Always on My Mind', 'Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain' and 'Whiskey River', then deeper cuts and duets like 'Pancho and Lefty' that separate the real fans.
His phrasing sits behind the beat and Trigger's nylon tone runs through everything, so the quiz can ask you to name him by delivery. The trap is that many of his biggest songs, like 'Stardust', are covers rather than originals.
Often, yes. His beat-up nylon-string Martin, Trigger, has a worn, distinctive tone, so experienced players can name a Willie recording from the guitar before the vocal even starts.
His full name is Willie Hugh Nelson, born April 29, 1933, in the small town of Abbott, Texas. He started as a Nashville songwriter before becoming an outlaw-country star.
Yes. The Willie Nelson quiz on Songtrivia is free to play, with no signup and no account needed. Open the page and start. Or guess the song with friends in a multiplayer round.
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