Willie Nelson to Take Listeners to “The Border” on New Album


Willie Nelson is 90 years old, and will be 91 in April. He has a full calendar of live dates scheduled throughout 2024. And on May 31st, he will release what will be his 152nd album called The Border. This will be his third album in the last two years. It’s hard to not sit back, and marvel.

This will be an original Willie Nelson album, meaning it will include original songs written by Willie, as well as other songs carefully selected and recorded to make the album a cohesive, original expression. This is different from Willie’s last two albums: 2023’s Bluegrass, which remade old Willie songs bluegrass style, as well as I Don’t Know a Thing About Love, which was a tribute to songwriter Harlan Howard.

When Willie releases one of these original albums, watch out. His last one was 2022’s A Beautiful Time, and it won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album. This was no honorary distinction. It was well-deserved.

The Border will once again be produced by Buddy Cannon who co-writes four songs with Willie Nelson for the album. But the lead single and title track is a Rodney Crowell tune that the Texas native wrote with Allen Shambin, and appeared on Crowell’s 2019 album Texas. It takes a refreshingly nuanced and human look at a crisis that is very much relevant to this moment. The cover art is of the Big Bend region between Texas and Mexico.


Appearing on the album with Willie will be Mickey Raphael on harmonica of course, Jim “Moose Brown” on keys, Bobby Terry on electric/acoustic/steel guitar, James Mitchell also on electric guitar, Barry Bales on bass, and Fred Eltringham on drums. Buddy and Melonie Cannon are featured in background vocals.

Songwriting contributors to The Border include Larry Cordle and Erin Enderlin on the track “I Wrote This Song For You,” as well as Shawn Camp, Will Jennings, Mike Reid, and more.

But most importantly, this album will be Willie Nelson, his guitar Trigger, and original songs from one of music’s most beloved and prolific entertainers in history.

The Border is now available for pre-order.

TRACK LIST:

1. The Border (Rodney Crowell, Allen Shambin)
2. Once Upon a Yesterday (Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon)
3. What If I’m Out of My Mind (Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon)
4. When I Wrote This Song for You (Larry Cordle, Erin Enderlin)
5. Kiss Me When You’re Through (Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon)
6. Many a Long and Lonesome Highway (Rodney Crowell, Will Jennings)
7. Hank’s Guitar (Buddy Cannon, Bobby Tomberlin)
8. Made in Texas (Shawn Camp, Monty Holmes)
9. Nobody Knows Me Like You (Mike Reid)
10. How Much Does It Cost (Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon)

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