Bobbie Nelson

Throughout the storied life and career of American musical icon Willie Nelson, his sister Bobbie has been right next to him, playing the piano that is as essential to his musical style as “Trigger,” his well-worn Martin guitar. And now Bobbie Nelson moves into the spotlight at stage center with her debut solo album, Audiobiography, on Justice Records.



The 12-song album features Bobbie Nelson playing solo piano versions of some of her favorite songs from throughout her life and begins and ends with two new songs written by Willie Nelson, who joins his sister on guitar and vocals. Bobbie produced the album and Willie co-produced the songs he appears on with her. Audiobiography was recorded at the world-renowned Pedernales Studio outside Austin that was founded by Willie Nelson and is now owned and operated by Bobbie’s son, Freddy Fletcher, who also mixed the album.



Bobbie Nelson’s recording debut was inspired by a conversation that Justice Records founder and A&R director Randall Jamail had with her while they were having lunch one afternoon at an Austin restaurant. ”I asked her if she had ever thought about writing her autobiography,” says Jamail. “She said that people had asked her that before, but the only way to tell her life story was through music.”



The comment prompted Jamail to suggest that she record her first solo album for Justice, the Houston, Texas-based independent label that previously released two Willie Nelson albums, the Grammy-nominated Moonlight Becomes You and Just One Love, as well as the Nelson tribute compilation Twisted Willie. Bobbie Nelson joins Ian Moore and Greta Gaines on the roster of the recently reactivated Justice label, which is distributed by Fontana Records via Universal Music.



Justice Records was started by Jamail in 1989 and has since released albums by a blue-ribbon roster of country and jazz artists. Among them are such outlaw country compatriots of Bobbie and Willie Nelson as Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Billy Joe Shaver as well as Kimmie Rhodes, a longtime friend and neighbor of the Nelsons. The label has also recorded noted jazz artists Herb Ellis, Kermit Ruffins and Sebastian Whittaker and The Creators. It released Ray Price’s acclaimed Prisoner Of Love CD and The Papal Concert to Commemorate The Holocaust, and launched the career of indie country sensation Jesse Dayton.



Living up to its name, the Justice is now a label where all of its artists own their master recordings. “Our slogan used to be ‘Recycle Paper Not Music,’” says Jamail. “Now it’s ‘Freeing the Slaves One Record at a Time.’”



“I’m really excited about working with Justice Records,” Nelson says. “I’m really close with Randall and that makes it real comfortable for me. And I’m thrilled to be putting out my own record.”



“Everyone at Justice is honored to be working with Bobbie Nelson,” says the label’s general manager Jan Mirkin. “I’d actually be honored just to drive her around.”



Bobbie Nelson will be playing songs from Audiobiography in featured solo sets on tour with Willie Nelson and Family following the release of the album this fall.