“Me and Paul: Untold Stories of a Fabled Friendship” is the long-awaited book by country music legend Willie Nelson. It is a moving homage to his long friendship with Paul English, who was his drummer and close friend for a long time. The book tells the story of their extraordinary musical exploits and their deep friendship. It also talks about very intimate and sensitive incidents from Nelson’s life, including a sad chapter that not many people knew about.
In one of the book’s most scary and personal chapters, Nelson talks about a period when he seriously considered about killing himself. He says he was so confused and overwhelmed that he walked to a train track and got ready to lie down and wait for a train to come. He stood there, thinking there was no way out, and thought it might be over. But after 15 minutes, he turned around and went back to a tavern in the neighborhood, where he told a customer what had happened. The story, which is surprisingly basic, shows the emotional struggles Nelson went through behind the scenes, even though he seemed unmovable in public at the time.
It’s especially tragic that Nelson is gone because he was a cultural icon recognized for his relaxed style, unique braids, and songs that will always be about love, death, and life on the road. It’s brave of someone who has been in the public glare for more than 60 years to talk about something so intimate. It also reminds us that even famous people have wounds that aren’t visible.
Even though it was a hard time in his life, Nelson’s tone in the book is not sad at all. A lot of it is incredibly humorous and full of strange adventures that only someone of his caliber could tell, such late-night bar fights, insane road excursions, and musical successes with his bandmate Paul English. English, who died in 2020, was not only Nelson’s drummer, but also a buddy, bodyguard, tour manager, and spiritual brother. Nelson says that Paul was the glue that held the band together and sometimes even kept him going. They were pals for over 70 years.
Willie Nelson is in his 90s, but he doesn’t look like he’s going to stop making music anytime soon. He says he doesn’t want to retire or slow down. He still plays live and is really interested in building things. He also claims that what he does every day has a big impact on his health. He sings every day to keep his lungs strong and runs a little bit every day to keep his body moving, for instance. This has been especially significant since he had COVID-19 a few years ago.
He also thinks that being positive is really vital. In his interviews and book, Nelson emphasizes about how vital it is to look at things from other people’s points of view. He argues that instead of focusing on things that make us sad or things we wish we hadn’t done, we should think about things that make us happy, like love and the positive things in life. Nelson’s point of view is refreshing since it is based on real life. This is especially true for someone who has been through a lot of painful situations, like losing loved ones, fighting in the industry, having money problems, health problems, and political criticism.
Me and Paul is more than just a music journal. It’s a story about friendship that lasts, becoming a better person, and finding meaning in life even when things are truly horrible. Nelson’s writing is real and sounds like a conversation. There are lessons about life hidden between the tears and the laughs, not just funny stories. It honors the people who assisted him along the way and reminds him that even when things are at their worst, healing and hope may still come.
The book shows a side of one of the top country music stars that people haven’t seen before. For some, it’s a story that gives them hope about how to be strong, stay alive, and keep going. People already knew a lot about Willie Nelson’s legacy, but Me and Paul adds to it by showing the man behind the music in a way that feels both very real and extremely intimate.