New studio record due September 15th
Sony Music’s Legacy Recordings will release Willie Nelson’s new studio album Bluegrass, featuring Willie performing 12 of his favorite self-penned classics with a bluegrass ensemble, on Friday, September 15th. An exclusive collector’s edition of the album, pressed on 12-inch blue vinyl, will follow on Friday, September 29th. “You Left Me a Long, Long Time Ago,” the first track from the project, is available now.
Bluegrass, the 90 year old country legend’s 151st album, presents 12 classic Willie Nelson compositions — including “On the Road Again,” “Yesterday’s Wine,” “Still is Still Moving to Me,” “Good Hearted Woman” and more — freshly interpreted by Willie Nelson and his bluegrass ensemble. For the album, Willie picked 12 personal and fan favorite compositions from across his career to perform anew. All songs on Bluegrass were written by Nelson except “Good Hearted Woman” which has music and lyrics written by Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
Produced by longtime musical collaborator Buddy Cannon, Bluegrass features musicians including Barry Bales on upright bass, Ron Block on banjo, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Rob Ickes on dobro, Josh Martin on acoustic guitar, Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Seth Taylor on mandolin, Bobby Terry on acoustic and gut string guitar, Dan Tyminski on mandolin with backing vocals provided by Cannon, Wyatt Beard, and Melonie Cannon. Bluegrass features cover art by Willie’s son Micah Nelson, whose previous artwork for Willie includes the albums I Don’t Know a Thing About Love and First Rose of Spring as well as 2013’s autobiographical New York Times bestseller Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road.
Nelson’s new album is a salute to the Appalachian old-time string band music which crystalized into a genre and was given a name by Kentucky songwriter/performer/recording artist Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, whose post-war recordings profoundly influenced Nelson’s songwriting sensibilities and the direction of American country music in general. On Bluegrass, his first album tribute to the genre, Nelson brings together a dozen songs connecting his personal history to his lifelong love for roots music. Using his own catalog as source material, in the spirit of traditional bluegrass sourcing hillbilly folk music, Nelson chose songs combining the kind of strong melodies, memorable storylines and tight ensemble-interplay found in traditional bluegrass interpretations of the roots (from European melodies to African rhythms) of American folk songs. With Bluegrass, Nelson uncovers new truths in his own songs.
In a career packed with highlights, 2023 is proving a banner year for Willie Nelson, who turned 90 on April 29th.
Willie Nelson & Family, a new five-part film documentary series directed by Thom Zimny and Oren Moverman, premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival 2023 and is slated for broadcast later this year.
Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90, a star-studded two-day concert celebrating Willie’s 90th birthday, was held at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29-April 30. The once-in-a-lifetime event showcased performances from an extraordinary range of artists who’ve been influenced and inspired by Willie and his music. Willie Nelson 90, a film made during the Hollywood Bowl Shows, enjoyed a limited theatrical run at select theaters in early June.
Nelson took home two Grammys at the 65th Annual Grammys Awards in 2023: Best Country Solo Performance for “Live Forever” from Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver and his first Best Country Album for A Beautiful Time trophy. Over the course of his career, Nelson has earned 56 Grammy nominations and 12 Grammy Awards.
Nelson is one of the 2023 Inductees into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Friday, November 3rd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York with an HBO broadcast to follow.
Nelson is bringing his family and friends on the road for the largest-ever Outlaw Music Festival Tour to-date showcasing a can’t miss lineup of stars for a series of once-in-a-lifetime shows this summer and fall.
Coming November 23rd, Nelson’s new book, Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs promises to provides the stories behind the lyrics of 160 of his favorite songs, along with a dynamic assortment of never-before-seen photos and ephemera.
1. No Love Around
2. Somebody Pick Up My Pieces
3. Good Hearted Woman
4. Sad Songs And Waltzes
5. Home Motel
6. You Left Me A Long, Long Time Ago
7. Yesterday’s Wine
8. Bloody Mary Morning
9. Slow Down Old World
10. Still Is Still Moving To Me
11. On The Road Again
12. Man With The Blues
