149. Mickey Raphael on Willie Nelson 'Teatro' (1998)

Harmonica legend and Willie Nelson's musical right hand for over 40 years, Mickey Raphael reveals the inside story of one of Willie's best albums, 1998's Teatro. Why was the album recorded in an abandoned Mexican movie theatre? How did producer Daniel Lanois (U2, Bob Dylan) create the studio atmosphere? What was Emmylou Harris's contribution to the album? What illegal substances did visitors to the studio supply them with (not the ones you think)? Which celebrities dropped by to witness the recordings? How does Mickey think the album's upcoming 20th anniversary should be celebrated? PLUS, Mickey shares his memories of Willie's most underrated albums, the amazing reggae record 'Countryman' and talks about finding his own groove amongst Willie's idiosyncratic singing and the rock-steady backing band. My Favorite Album is a podcast unpacking the great works of pop music. Each episode features a different songwriter or musician discussing their favorite album of all time - their history with it, the making of the album, individual songs and the album's influence on their own music. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia. He directed the music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts and feature film Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguins, and writes for Capital News magazine. If you've got any feedback or suggestions, drop us a line at [email protected].