The announcement of Willie Nelson’s 76th studio album, The last leaf on the treecomes with good news and even better news. The good news is that the first single is Nelson’s cover of Tom Waits’ “Last Leaf,” a song Waits recorded with Keith Richards for 2011. Bad like me. The better news is that Nelson sings it à la Nelson and doesn’t try to imitate Waits with a throaty voice. Instead, Nelson’s rendition features impressionistic guitar earworms, a small accordion and drums that sigh with Nelson as he sings Waits’ words: “I’m the last leaf on the tree.”

The rest of the track list includes a mix of songs written and co-written by Nelson, 91, as well as some surprising covers. For the record, due out Nov. 1, the Red Headed Stranger recorded renditions of Beck’s “Lost Cause,” Nina Simone’s “Come Ye,” Warren Zevon’s “Keep Me in Your Heart” and the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??”, among others. Nelson’s son Micah produced the album and played many of his instruments, from guitar and piano to “sticks and branches, logs and dead leaves.”

The common thread that connects all the songs on this album is shedding this mortal coil. “There are little side quests, but that’s the common thread – facing death with dignity,” Micah said in a statement.

In addition to Micah’s expert mastery of foliage, harmonica player Mickey Raphael, pedal steel guitarist (and noted producer) Daniel Lanois, percussionist Magatte Sow and former Doors drummer John Densmore recorded with Nelson for the album. The musicians recorded at the Hen House in Venice, California.

One of the songs Nelson recorded, “If It Wasn’t Broken,” has ties to the area, songwriter Sydney Lyndella Ward, who originally recorded the song as Sunny War, said in a statement. “Having Willie sing ‘If It Wasn’t Broken’ is the sweetest and greatest thing that has ever happened to me as a writer and musician,” she said. “I used to play that song on the Venice Beach boardwalk and never imagined back then that Willie Nelson would ever hear it. I am grateful and inspired.”

The album’s announcement came a month after Nelson had to miss several dates at the Outlaw Music Festival due to health issues. However, the nonagenarian recovered and returned to the stage for his annual Fourth of July picnic. The Outlaw tour has dates through September.

The last leaf on the tree Tracklist:

1. “Last Leaf” (by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan)
2. “If it wasn’t broken” (by Sydney Lyndella Ward)
3. “Lost Cause” (by Beck David Hansen)
4. “Come Ye” (by Nina Simone)
5. “Keep me in your heart” (by Warren Zevon & Jorge Calderon)
6. “Robbed Blind” (by Keith Richards)
7. “House where nobody lives” (by Tom Waits)
8. “Are you ready for the country?” (by Neil Young)
9. “Do you understand??” (by Wayne Coyne/Steven Drozd/Michael Ivins/David Fridmann)
10. “Wheels” (by Micah Nelson)
11. “Broken Arrow” (by Neil Young)
12. “Color Of Sound” (by Willie Nelson & Micah Nelson)
13. “The Ghost” (by Willie Nelson)