Willie's songs and persona are such a part of the language of country music that it's easy to take him for granted.

If you need a cold-water reminder of the man's accomplishments, look no further than this wide-ranging, comprehensive compilation.

Across two CDs, 41 songs and nearly two and a half hours, The Essential Willie Nelson makes the clearest case yet assembled for its star as both an unmistakable interpretive singer and a songwriter without peer. Your music collection isn't anywhere close to complete without some Willie, and this is unbeatable one-stop shopping.