Me and Paul: Untold Stories of a Fabled Friendship by Willie Nelson

EXCERPT: This one guy understood me like no one else. He understood me on the deepest level imaginable. Likewise, I understood him. How is it we could communicate without even talking? One look is all we needed. In my case, my only sibling is my sister, Bobbie. Paul became the brother I never had. In Paul’s case, he had siblings – wonderfully talented people – and yet our bond felt deeper than blood. It was unbreakable. It defied understanding. It was like I knew him before we even met. And now that he’s gone, he’s still here. He still knows me. He still lives in my heart and in the hearts of everyone whose hearts he touched.

ABOUT ‘ME AND PAUL’: “I’ve got this song that begs to be a book and a book that begs to read like a song–a long, romping ballad of sweetness and scandal bridging seven decades of friendship . . .”

Immortalized in Willie Nelson’s road song “Me and Paul,” Paul English was the towering figure who for 70 years acted as Willie’s drummer, bodyguard, accountant, partner in crime, and right-hand man.

Together, the two men roamed the country, putting on shows, getting into a few scrapes, raising money for good causes, and bringing the joy of their music to fans worldwide. Stories of Willie and Paul’s misadventures became legendary, but many have gone untold–until now.

Set against the backdrop of the exploding Americana music scene and told in Willie’s inimitable, colorful style, Me and Paul follows the two performers through their decades-long careers.

MY THOUGHTS: I selected this extract because it demonstrates the closeness between Willie Nelson and his longtime drummer, Paul English. But most of the book is taken up by the antics that these two got up to. Most of the antics are enacted by Willie. Paul is the caped superhero who swoops in to rescue him. I kid you not!

I’m a long time Willie Nelson fan. But I learned an awful lot about Willie that I never previously knew. Did you know that he used to sell vacuum cleaners and encyclopedias? Strange but true. Try as I might, I just couldn’t imagine it!

I loved this insight into Willie’s life and his relationship with Paul. I laughed and cringed at their antics. I wished that I had a friend in my life who was as important to me as Paul was to Willie. But it wasn’t a one-sided relationship, although for many years it looks that way. When Paul needed him, Willie was there.

I finished Me and Paul with eyes overflowing. And a wonderful playlist.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.6

#MeandPaul #NetGalley

I: @willienelsonofficial @harperhorizon

T: @WillieNelson @HarperHorizon

#friendship #memoir #nonfiction

THE AUTHOR: Willie Hugh Nelson is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the most beloved and notorious country music singers. He reached his greatest fame during the so-called “outlaw country” movement of the 1970s, but remains iconic, especially in American popular culture. In recent years he has continued to tour, record, and perform, and this, combined with activities in advocacy of cannabis, as well as a well-publicized 2006 arrest for cannabis possession, have made him the subject of renewed media attention.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harper Horizon via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Me and Paul: Untold Stories of a Fabled Friendship by Willie Nelson. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

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