Willie Nelson "Always On My Mind"

One of the most unlikely acts to have a Top Ten hit in 1982 was country singer/songwriter Willie Nelson. Not that success was something new for the iconoclastic Nelson as, by the early '80s, he had proven himself as a hit writer for others (Ray Price, Patsy Cline, Faron Young), as well as a star in his own right on both the country and pop charts and an actor.

However, with new wave and synth-based acts dominating radio, it was odd to see Nelson's name on the charts side by side with The Go-Gos, Huey Lewis & The News, and Human League. Not only was Nelson on the pop charts, but he was there with the biggest hit of his career - the modern pop classic "Always On My Mind."

The song had been a hit for everyone from Brenda Lee to Elvis (and later for The Pet Shop Boys) and Nelson added his distinctive vocal take on the melodramatic ballad. As the title track to an album that would eventually sell over four million copies, "Always On My Mind" entered the US Top 40 charts in April of 1982 and would peak at #5 (it would top the country singles chart). The following year, Nelson would win Grammy awards in several catagories for "Always On My Mind," adding to the numerous awards the song had already earned him.

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