Phases and Stages is the 17th studio album by Willie Nelson, which followed the moderate success of his first Atlantic Records release, Shotgun Willie. Nelson met producer Jerry Wexler at a party where Nelson sang songs from an album he planned to record. The single "Phases and Stages" was originally recorded the same year. Nelson recorded the album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in two days and Wexler produced it. The album narrates the story of a divorce. Side one tells the woman's story and side two the man's. Released in March 1974, the album peaked at number 34 on Billboards Top Country Albums and the single "Bloody Mary Morning" reached number 17 on Billboards Country singles. Despite the chart positions attained by the album, and its singles, Atlantic Records closed their Country music division in September 1974. Background and recording In 1972, Nelson signed a recording contract with the newly created Country Music division of Atlantic Records. Producer Jerry Wexler gave Nelson greater creative control than his contract with RCA Records offered him. Nelson met Wexler at a party in Harlan Howard's house, where he sang the songs he wrote for an album. Howard later remembered, “He got on the stool late at night when the party had thinned out, and he sang like a total album with a gut string and a stool". As Nelson's performance progressed, Howard noted that Wexler "flipped out" with the material. Nelson was excited at the prospect of using his own band, something RCA Records had not allowed him to do previously. Nelson’s road band consisted of Paul English on drums, Bee Spears on bass, Mickey Raphael on harmonica, and Bobbie Nelson on piano. Nelson recorded his first album for Atlantic Records, Shotgun Willie, in 1972. Produced by Arif Mardin and Wexler, Shotgun Willie marked a change of style in Nelson's music. Nelson stated that recording the album had "...cleared his throat". A single containing the song "Phases and Stages" was first released in 1972. Wexler proposed Nelson to record the new album at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. Wexler desired to record the album with a rhythm and blues section instead of using Nelson's band. Nelson accepted Wexler's suggestion since he considered that the producer allowed him total control on the sessions for Shotgun Willie. In 1973, Nelson recorded the songs in two days with musicians Fred Carter, Jr., David Hood,