Red Headed Stranger is a work.
National Recording Registry . The recordings preserved in the United States National Recording Registry form a registry of recordings selected yearly by the National Recording Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Congress . Red Headed Stranger is a 1975 album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson . A concept album , Red Headed Stranger is about a fugitive on the run from the law after killing his wife and her lover . Despite Columbia 's doubts and the limited instrumentation , Red Headed Stranger was a blockbuster among country music and mainstream audiences . It was ranked # 183 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , and number one on CMT 's 40 Greatest Albums in Country Music .