** 1/2 Willie Nelson, “The Essential Willie Nelson,” RCA ***.

If you want to trace Nelson’s early recording years, this is the next essential step. Four songs are repeated from the Liberty album, but his vocals here show more confidence and character. In such new songs as “Me and Paul” and “Healing Hands of Time,” he also exhibits more range as a writer. One track here even serves as the blueprint for “Phases and Stages,” the great concept album he’d later record for Atlantic Records.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good), four stars (e x cellent).