Paul Buskirk and his Little Men Featuring Willie Nelson - Nite Life

After his son Billy was born in 1958, struggling with financial issues, Nelson moved to Houston. On the way, Nelson stopped by the Esquire Ballroom to sell songs to house band singer Larry Butler. Butler refused to purchase Nelson's songs, giving him instead a US$50 loan to rent an apartment and a six-night job singing in the club.[1] Nelson rented the apartment near Houston in Pasadena, Texas, where he also worked at the radio station as a DJ. During the same time, Nelson recorded for Pappy Daily of D Records. While working on the club, Nelson used the time of the thirty-mile travel from his home to the club to write songs. One night he was inspired to start the song after thinking the line "When the evening sun goes down, you will find me hanging 'round." Nelson's inspiration was completed on his way back, with the line "The night life ain't no good life, but it's my life".

Nelson sold the song for US$150 to Paul Buskirk in 1960, while working at his school as a guitar instructor. Produced by Bill Quinn, Nelson recorded the song at Gold Star Studios. The session band was composed of guitarist Buskirk, bassist Dean Reynolds, drummer Al Hagy, pianist Bob Whitford, steel guitarist Herb Remington, and Dick Shannon on saxophone and vibraphone.[4]

The recording of the song was turned down by Pappy Daily, who did not consider the song country. Nelson, who owed Daily the recording of other songs, had sold the "Night Life" for enough money to master the record on another studio. Daily threatened Nelson to sue him if he pressed the song. Nelson and Buskirk took the tape from Gold Star Studios, and went to Bill Holford's ACA Studios to master the recording. The song was recorded as "Nite Life", and the artist labeled under "Paul Buskirk and the Little Men featuring Hugh Nelson". Released through Rx Records, few copies of the single were pressed, while it received limited airplay by DJ Uncle Hank Craig on XEG.

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ACA mastering date June 20, 1960.