Vinyl plays with occasional light-crackles (play-graded). Cover looks great; a few creases near edges; light scuffing and some surface abrasion along top edges (front/back); a few tiny discoloration spots on front and sticker residue at top right. Inner-sleeve is original (generic white); two seams partially split. Spine is easy-to-read with wear. Minor shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge; small splits at left-side corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and a few divots. Red label with Columbia around outside edge. (Not a cut-out.)
Red Headed Stranger propelled Willie Nelson to stardom, finally giving him a smash hit, yet its spare arrangements and hushed intimacy were a bit of an anomaly, both in his prior work and the albums that followed on Columbia. His second LP for the label, 1976's The Sound in Your Mind, opened up the sound of Stranger, retaining some of the low-key vibe, but fleshing out music and even picking up the tempo on occasion. In addition to that, he started delving deep into standards, not just from country artists, but the American popular songbook, pointing the way toward Stardust a few years down the road. So, in many ways, The Sound in Your Mind sets the template for the next few years of albums by Willie. The album reached No. 1 on US Country charts.