On Wednesday we ran the first part of my discussion with Melonie Cannon, where we discussed her upcoming Rural Rhythm CD, And The Wheels Turn. Here is the remainder of the interview.

Perhaps the chief highlight associated with the new CD for Melonie has been getting to work with Willie Nelson. They did a duet on one of his songs, Back To Earth, for which a music video has recently been shot.

Nelson’s latest CD, Moment Of Forever, was produced by Melonie’s dad, Buddy Cannon, and Kenny Chesney, and they had asked Melonie to sing some harmony while they were tracking.

“I had never met Willie before those sessions, though my dad had met him once – in a broom closet. I can only imagine what happened there!

When I told him I had cut one of his songs, he asked ‘Can I sing on it?’ The song was Some Little Things, which we haven’t yet used on an album. Dad got the idea of having Willie sing on Back To Earth, and asked if he wanted to do it with me. Willie said, yeah and that he would get his manager in touch.

When he came in to sing, I had already sung the whole track, and Willie decided he would do the second verse and harmony on the chorus.”

Just in the past few weeks, the opportunity arose for Nelson to appear in a music video for the song, and arrangements were made for Melonie and her dad to fly down to Texas for the shoot. They all assembled on Willie’s ranch not far from Austin.

“The crew, my Daddy and I were waiting for the man to show up at the town ‘Headquarters’ as it’s called. A black pick up truck came whizzing towards us, dust and gravel flying everywhere. And lo and behold, it was Willie! He asked if we were ready for him and the crew said yes.

He spun gravel and peeled off instead of getting out. In my mind I was thinking, ‘I hope they got the shot!’

Then, from the same direction the truck had flown into came a man on a horse, dressed all in black, from his cowboy hat to his boots. Just like you’d see in an old western movie except this was not someone acting.

I could go on forever, but I’ll just say one more thing about the video… It will be as magical as it was seeing Mr. Willie Nelson come galloping up that September morning on ‘Slim.’

This will be one of my most treasured memories I will ever have!!”

The new Melonie Cannon CD will be available from Rural Rhythm Records on October 7, and sample audio from all 12 tracks is up now online. No word yet on when the video will be released.