"No Place for Me" is the debut single of country singer-songwriter

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...

. Nelson recorded the song while working as a

disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile ...

at KVAN in

Vancouver, Washington Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, located in Clark County. Incorporated in 1857, Vancouver has a population of 190,915 as of the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Was ...

, using a studio of the radio. Through a DJ he met during his time working on the radio in Texas, he contacted

Starday Records Starday Records was an American record label producing traditional country music during the 1950s and 1960s. History The label began in 1952 in Beaumont, Texas, when local businessmen Jack Starnes (Lefty Frizzell's manager) and Houston record di ...

, sending the tapes over to the label. Starday Records pressed for Nelson 500 copies of the single, issued under the custom label "Willie Nelson Records". The company initially reserved the rights for re-publications under the Starday label, but decided later not to exercise the right. Nelson sold the record over his radio show '' The Western Express'', a final total of 3,000 units.

Background

After working in different radio stations as a disk jockey in Texas,

moved to

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...

in 1956. Nelson was soon hired by KVAN, where he hosted the hour-long show '' The Western Express''. He soon gained popularity in the area, making public appearances singing in Vancouver clubs, and at other local events. Nelson's show was soon upgraded, hosting by 1957 a three-hour long show, and becoming one of the most listened radio personalities in the Portland-Vancouver area.

Recording and release

Taking advantage of his local popularity, Nelson decided that it was time to record his debut single. He chose, for the main side his original "No Place for Me", bringing local steel guitarist Buddy Fite to back him. Nelson played his own guitar on the recording in a boom-chicka-boom style> The song went for 78 seconds. He included on the flipside, for commercial purposes,

Leon Payne Leon Roger Payne (June 15, 1917 – September 11, 1969), "the Blind Balladeer", was an American country music singer and songwriter. Life He was born in Alba, Texas, United States. He was blind in one eye at birth, and lost the sight in the other ...

's "Lumberjack", which was set in the state of

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

. Nelson recorded both songs with the existing equipment in a studio of the radio station. During his time working on the radio in Texas, Nelson met disc jockey T. Texas Tyler. He called Tyler to ask for his help to press the records. Tyler called his acquaintance Don Pierce, who worked in

Pappy Daily Harold W. Daily (February 8, 1902 – December 5, 1987), better known as "Pappy" Daily, was an American country music record producer and entrepreneur who cofounded the Texas-based record label Starday Records. Daily worked with many of the well-kn ...

. Nelson mailed the tapes to Starday, who pressed 500 recordings under the custom "Willie Nelson Label". Nelson paid for the records, agreeing to Starday's policy of reserving the rights of the tracks for further releases on the Starday label or for the label to act as a publisher of the song. Ultimately, Starday decided not to exercise the right, since neither Pierce nor Daily felt that the songs had the potential for a label release. Nelson sold the records on-air during his show in February 1957, offering them for US$1, with the addition of an 8x10 autographed photograph. The single sold 3,000 copies.

Footnotes

References

* * * {{authority control 1957 songs 1957 debut singles Willie Nelson songs Songs written by Willie Nelson