Beyond the Missouri Sky (Short Stories) is a jazz album by Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny, two musicians who come from Missouri. The album was released by Verve Records on February 25, 1997. At the 40th Grammy Awards, they were awarded (Haden’s first and Metheny’s tenth) the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance. The Penguin Guide to Jazz selected the album as part of its suggested Core Collection.

The Precious Jewel had been made well known by the Delmore Brothers, a major influence on Charlie Haden as he pointed out. Waltz for Ruth was composed especially for this album and is dedicated to Haden’s wife. Tears of Rain is also an original composition for this project by Metheny, recorded with his new acoustic sitar. The Moon Song by Johnny Mandel had never been recorded before. Spiritual, by Charlie Haden’s son Josh Haden was originally released on Spain’s debut album, The Blue Moods of Spain, and was covered by Johnny Cash in 1996. Jimmy Webb took the title of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress from a Robert A. Heinlein novel of the same name.

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