Texas Monthly.

Hey there, I'm John Spong with Texas Monthly magazine, and this is One by Willie,

a podcast in which I talk each week to one notable Willie Nelson fan about one Willie

song that they really love.

This week, we talked to one of Fort Worth, Texas's favorite sons, T-Bone Burnett.

He's the legendary producer behind Counting Crow's 1993 debut album August and Everything After,

the acclaimed O Brother Were Art Thou soundtrack from 2000,

Alison Krause and Robert Plant's 2007 album, Raising Sand, and of course Willie's 2010 album,

Country Music. T-Bone's going to take us to what may be the darkest corner of Willie's

songwriting catalog, his early 60s murder ballad, I just can't let you say goodbye.

The song first appeared on Willie's 1966 album, Live Country Music Concert at Panther Hall Ballroom

in Fort Worth, Texas, a record that has long been something of a holy grail for hardcore Willie

nerds. And what do you know, it turns out that a 17-year-old T-Bone Burnett was actually in the

audience the night that was recorded. Teabon will talk about that show, about Willie's years in Fort Worth

and their influence on his music and why he thinks of Willie as a true holy man. Let's do it.

The flesh around your throat is pale.

And did it by my fingernail.

What's so great about I just Can't Let You Say Goodbye?

Well, you know, sometimes you write songs for dramatic effect.

You know, it's not always the songwriter writing about his own life.

And I've always been drawn to those dark songs.

I love those dangerous kind of songs. And

...