1950 Fender Broadcaster #0099

One of the many things that Willie Nelson and his trusty Martin nylon-string, Trigger, have in common is their truly unmistakable voices. And Willie’s laid back, behind-the-beat phrasing applies to both. To break it all down, we called on Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel. The two have been friends for a long time, and in 2009 they released the swinging Willie and the Wheel together. Benson tells us about what it’s like to work with Willie, what it’s like to play Trigger, and when he finally got to put his signature on the latter.