Ray Wylie Hubbard Calls Upon More Friends in ‘Co-Starring Too’
Nearly two years ago in the March of 2020 when our entire worlds were being turned upside down by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and things we though we would never see were transpiring right before our very eyes, one of the very weirdest moments of them all was the announcement right in the thick of it that Ray Wylie Hubbard has signed to Nashville major label Big Machine Records—home of Thomas Rhett and Florida Georgia Line.
However the circumstances aligned, it has resulted in a resurgence of sorts in the 75-year-old’s career, if for no other reason than he finally was allowed to grace the stage of Austin City Limits. On Big Machine, Hubbard released an album called Co-Starring, which illustrated the friends he had, and the influence he had sown throughout music from the collaborators he was able to call upon. It also happened to be a really damn good record, and not too busy as the track list might have implied.
Well if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. And with the extended Rolodex of influences and acolytes Ray Wylie Hubbard has assembled, why not release a sequel? That’s what Ray Wylie will do on March 18th, 2022 with another list of excellent collaborators.
Getting Willie Nelson to join him one of the greatest songs Ray’s ever written in “Stone Blind Horses”? Conjoining three of the greatest living Texas songwriters of our time on one song in Hayes Carll, James McMurtry, Dalton Domino? Or three of the biggest Texas country superstars in Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, and Cody Canada? It’s the honor and influence Ray Wylie Hubbard boasts that he’s able to call together such talent to the studio.
Over the last couple of weeks, Ray Wylie has been inventively dropping little Easter eggs about who his co-stars would be on part deux (worth peeping his social media just to see them), but now he’s revealed the full track list, as well as the first song of the album called “Hellbent For Leather” with the rough and tumble Steve Earle.
Other collaborators include Ann Wilson of Heart, Eliza Gilkyson who just released an album herself, Country Hall of Famer Wynonna Judd, rocker Lizzy Hale, Kevin Russell and the Shiny Soul Sisters of Shinyribs, and Ringo Starr.
Known for years as the “Forgotten Outlaw” for coming up in the Texas scene when Willie, Waylon, and the Armadillo World Headquarters reigned, and later renamed the Wylie Llama from his influence and wisdom imparted to the next generation of artists, Ray Wylie Hubbard is one of the most widely-respected artist by fellow artists across the country, rock, and blues worlds.
Co-Starring Too is now available for pre-order.
TRACK LIST:
- Stone Blind Horses (ft. Willie Nelson)
- Groove (ft. Kevin Russell and the Shiny Soul Sisters)
- Only a Fool (ft. The Bluebonnets)
- Hellbent for Leather (ft. Steve Earle)
- Naturally Wild (ft. Lzzy Hale and John 5)
- Fancy Boys (ft. Hayes Carll, James McMurtry, Dalton Domino)
- Texas Wild Side (ft. The Last Bandoleros)
- Till My Wheels Fall Off (ft. Wade Bowen, Randy Rogers, Cody Canada)
- Pretty Reckless (ft. Wynonna Judd, Jaimee Harris, Charlie Sexton, and Gurf Morlix)
- Ride or Die (ft. Ringo Starr, Lucas Hubbard, Steve Lukather, Eliza Gilkyson, Ann Wilson)
- Desperate Man (ft. Band of Heathens)
January 21, 2022 @ 10:59 am
Wow what a tracklist, I am stoked for this. The recent cut of Papa Was A Rolling Stone he did with Band of Heathens is so good. Was lucky enough to catch him play in Athens, GA a few months ago and his son Lucas melted everyone’s faces off
January 21, 2022 @ 11:16 am
Not gonna lie, slightly disappointed the first single isn’t a Judas Priest cover. But really looking forward to this one. Glad Ray Wylie is being appreciated for the gift he is.
January 21, 2022 @ 11:23 am
McMurtry, Willie, and Gurf – rad. Some of Ray Wylie’s earlier works with the delicate country arrangements were so amazing. The Messenger, Last Younger Son, etc. These days I struggle with it a bit because too much of it is the same thing over and over. A 1,4,5 gets a bit tiring.
January 21, 2022 @ 11:24 am
This is the one I’ve been waiting for since the first Co-starring dropped. The guest list certainly doesnt disapoint and if the first co-starring is any indication, this one will be a great mix of Rock, country, and folk songs.
The first song with Steve Earle that dropped today is a great start!
January 27, 2022 @ 8:00 am
Finally! Ray deserves all the acolades he is getting. I’ve been a fan since the 70’s. I’m lucky to live in the same town, so I have had more opportunities to see and hear him live. I am never bored, it’s always a joy. He is a great mentor and a treasure. Truly the “Wylie Lama”. Buy his music, merch and attend his shows.
Peace and love………..
January 21, 2022 @ 11:34 am
If didn’t love RW so much, would listen simply because of the Ann Wilson collab.
Ann Wilson is the greatest female rocker voice of all time. Bar None.
She & her sister, slay, across all lanes.
January 21, 2022 @ 11:40 am
I assume the last track is the one he co-wrote with Eric Church. I can’t wait to hear his take on it.
January 21, 2022 @ 12:03 pm
You can listen to a live solo version of it on YouTube. He also played it with his band at ACL. That’s not on YouTube but maybe is somewhere on the internet. I like his take on it
January 21, 2022 @ 12:10 pm
It doesn’t feel gimmicky when Ray Wylie Hubbard releases these Co-Starring albums. I loved the first, can’t wait for the second. “Hellbent for Leather” is a great song.
I thought it very disrespectful that Morgan Wade had a bigger font on the Mile 0 poster than RWH. Please don’t construe this as whining, but I don’t get the lukewarm, media-driven attention Wade has been siphoning away from more deserving artists. To a fault, the media is trying to will Wade to relevancy (and that’s the nicest thing I can say about her).
I feel like past years, RWH would have been a headliner at Mile 0 (small tribute shows would organically pop up like Charlie Robison’s a couple years back). But this year, Hubbard is playing second fiddle to Wade and the (pay to kill) exotic safari animal ”hunter” Parker McCollum.
I think Hubbard deserves better during this career revitalization than how Mike 0 is treating him.
January 21, 2022 @ 6:24 pm
I get where you’re coming from. I like Morgan Wade and I’m glad she’s finding success. But she is definitely the latest “media darling,” and I’m not exactly sure why. Her music is fine, but it’s singer/songwriter pop being pushed to the Americana/country market. Morgan herself has said she wants to be a pop star, and you can hear that in how her record turned out. There are definitely worse artists, but there are definitely better that aren’t receiving nearly the praise.
January 22, 2022 @ 6:58 am
RWH…. the King of Soul!
January 22, 2022 @ 9:12 am
Ray and Ry Cooder would probably make a cool record, too.
Kudos to whoever recorded the acoustic guitar in the posted video so it doesn’t should like the usual piezo quack sh*t.
January 22, 2022 @ 11:06 pm
Would be beyond amazing to get RWH, Lucas Hubbard, Ry, & Joachim Cooder together, wouldn’t it?
Just set mic’s around, let them jam.