| The Essential Willie Nelson | |
| Type: | greatest |
| Artist: | Willie Nelson |
| Cover: | Willie-Nelson-The-Essensial-Willie-Nelson.jpg |
| Released: | April 1, 2003 |
| Recorded: | 1961–2003 |
| Genre: | Country |
| Length: | 120:00 |
| Label: | Sony BMG |
| Producer: | Nick Shaffran, Al Quaglieri |
| Prev Year: | 2003 |
| Next Title: | Songs |
| Next Year: | 2005 |
The Essential Willie Nelson is a two-disc compilation of Willie Nelson songs. This digitally remastered compilation covers five decades of Nelson's recording career, and is part of Sony's Essential series of compilation albums. A 2009 release in limited Essential 3.0 series came with a bonus disc of eight fan-favourites and rarities. The album was re-released with an updated track listing on October 16, 2015.
David Quantick of Q wrote, "[T]he songs here sound fresh and almost youthful. The arrangements are sparky, too... All the sheer scope of Nelson's writing is displayed." In a retrospective review, AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that "The Essential Willie Nelson gets about as close as a set could to providing the basics".