SEN. ALBERTSON WRITES A DITTY ABOUT WILLIE

Legislator Says to "Leave the Man Alone"

RALEIGH -- North Carolina's singing senator has recorded a song
critical of the marijuana and alcohol charges filed against members of
singer-songwriter Willie Nelson's band in January.

"It just looks like a special effort was made to go on that bus and
cite them with marijuana," said state Sen. Charlie Albertson,
D-Duplin. The song, called "Leave the Man Alone," refers to the Jan.
28 citations issued to six members of Nelson's band on either
possession of marijuana or possession of non-tax-paid alcohol. The
band's bus was outside the Duplin County Events Center in
Kenansville.

Nelson canceled the show that evening. His staff said the show was
canceled because the musician's hand was hurting. But one woman who
was at the canceled concert said practically no one believes that was
the real reason. "I don't think it was his hand at all," said Sylvia
Hawes, 70, of Rose Hill. She said she believed the alcohol and
marijuana charges prompted the cancellation.

"Nobody believes that here," said Hawes, who along with her two
grandsons had gone to the concert. "I think Willie just did that (said
it was because his hand was hurting) to save face. I think just as
soon as he found out what had happened he told them to pull out of
there. It was over." Hawes said no one blames Nelson for pulling out
of the concert. "They blame the law enforcement for coming in and
trying to play cowboy," Hawes said. Ernie Seneca, a spokesman for the
ALE Division, said that the agents were doing their job.

"ALE's presence was requested by local officials, to come and help
monitor the crowd," Seneca said.

He said the Kenansville Police Department was small and that a crowd
of more than 3,000 was expected. Agents often go to sporting events
and concerts at places that have alcohol permits, Seneca said.

"The agents were there to help monitor the crowd and to make sure
there weren't any problems - underage drinking, illegal alcohol or
drug consumption," Seneca said.

While the agents were there they came upon the bus, smelled marijuana
and proceeded to check into it, Seneca said.

"They were allowed permission into the vehicle and to search," Seneca
said. "They were not out there looking for this at all. It's just
something they came upon." In the song, Albertson said that the law
heard that "the outlaw was in town" and "took turns sniffing" around
Nelson's bus.

"It was over before it started," the song says, referring to the
concert. "The law had busted Willie's band." Albertson sings that the
event hurt the reputation of Duplin County. "Why don't they leave the
man alone? Let him write and sing his songs," the song concludes.

Hawes said the action was uncalled for. "They knew Willie Nelson has a
reputation of smoking a little pot and they just figured there would
be a little around somewhere," Hawes said.

Both Hawes and Albertson suggested that the code name for the
evening's operation -- Operation on the Road Again -- indicated that
they were looking to find violations with the band.

Seneca, however, said the ALE agents were just doing their job. "Our
agents saw a violation and took action," he said. He added that the
band members were cited, and not arrested. Albertson, who is not
seeking re-election to the Senate this year, said he doesn't know if
he'd have recorded the song had he decided to run for another term. He
said there was some concern that people might not like the song. But
the reaction to the song has surprised him. "I've sung this song for
two church groups," Albertson said, adding that the song is being
played on country radio stations in New Bern, Greenville and Smithfield.