It all comes in cycles

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It all comes in cycles, according to Faron Young. From careers to songs to marriage to emotions, everything in life runs its course.

But right now if someone decided to make a biorhythm chart on Faron, it would show all the rhythms coming to a peak. Yes, Faron, who has been at ebbtide for a few years, is making a gradual climb again to the top. Like he says, it’s a cycle.

There are several reasons for this revitalization, but the major one is a recording project with Willie Nelson. Although it seems Willie has by now recorded with practically everyone, the seeds of this particular project were planted three years ago.

“Willie asked me to do this before he ever did the first album with anybody. Brilliant me,” Faron laughs. “I’m so brilliant, I said, “This won’t work. You and me can’t sell records with a duet!”

But the time wasn’t right for the project. For a long time Faron didn’t take Willie up on the offer but he was quick to oblige when Willie invited him down to Texas to visit and indulge in their common passion of golf. While playing, the question of recording together came up again, and this time Faron figured “What the heck.” It was only a short walk from the golf course to Willie’s recording studio.

“Willie has the studio right there on his golf course. We would go in and sing three songs and go out and play golf for the rest of the afternoon. There wasn’t no hurry up and get something done with this ’cause you’re worried about the money or the time being spent,” Faron said. As a result, everybody was relaxed.

“We flew down a bunch of Nashville musicians and got Willie’s old gut string guitar and we just went there and had a good time,” said Faron. “I stopped recording a couple of years ago and now Willie’s gonna make me famous and I’m gonna have to go back to work again!”

Once again a cycle is completed. When Faron was on top he helped a then-struggling songwriter. “Willie came here to Nashville and I used to loan him money for groceries. And I cut Hello Walls and that got him started as a songwriter,” he recalls. Of course, that tune was good for Faron, too.

“And now that I ain’t doing nothing, he proved he could help me. Willie Nelson is one of the few guys who don’t forget and you have to love and respect him for that.”

The new duo premiered some of the new material at Wille’s Fourth of July Picnic this summer. The album, which is yet to be released, was produced by Fred Foster and will feature no backup vocals, just Willie and Faron. That, Faron figures, would be enough.