Willie Nelson announces his 76th (!!!) studio album “Last Leaf On The Tree”
Willie Nelson has been a songwriter, performer and recording artist for seven years now, but one of his most underrated talents is his interpretation of song. Over the course of his career, he has taken songs from around the world of music and made them his own. Now, on the occasion of his 91st birthday, Willie turns his attention to his 76th studio album and 153rd album overall, a collection of songs by rock legends, idiosyncratic singer-songwriters, alt-rock heroes and indie folk artists. The result is a beautifully cohesive meditation on loss, love and suicidal hope, perfectly complemented by a spare and eerie musical production. Lovingly curated and produced by his son Micah Nelson, Last Leaf On The Tree (out November 1, 2024 on Legacy Recordings) finds Willie covering songs ranging from moody indie rock (Beck), psych-alt-pop (The Flaming Lips) and punk-influenced folk (Sunny War, Micah’s Particle Kid) to thought-provoking soul jazz (Nina Simone) and lesser-known gems from legends like Tom Waits, Neil Young, Keith Richards and Warren Zevon. Additionally, the album includes new versions of one of Willie’s oldest songs (1962’s “The Ghost”), as well as a new song co-written with Micah (“The Color Of Sound”) that adds to Willie’s collection of Zen-infused classics. In addition to production, Micah Nelson plays many of the instruments and even designed the album cover. He is joined by a host of celebrated musicians, as well as guest appearances by legendary producer and musician Daniel Lanois, John Densmore of The Doors and harmonica master Mickey Raphael, who has played alongside Willie for over 50 years.
Along with artists such as Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and Townes Van Zandt, Willie Nelson rose to prominence in the late 1960s as a key representative of the “outlaw country” subgenre that challenged Nashville’s conservatism. He earned $50 from the release of his first song, “Family Bible,” and soon after, songwriter Hank Cochran got him a publishing deal. Nelson also wrote for other musicians, penning some of the most famous country songs of all time, including “Night Life” for Rusty Draper, “Funny How Time Slips Away” for Jimmy Elledge and Johnny Tillotson, “Crazy” for Patsy Cline, “Hello Walls” for Faron Young, “Wake Me When It’s Over” for Andy Williams and “Pretty Paper” for Roy Orbison. He eventually had his own recording contract, but his weathered tenor and preference for sparse background music were initially considered uncommercial. 1973 appeared Shotgun Willie is considered one of his best albums of all time and demonstrated his skills as a singer, storyteller and artist. Still wearing a headband and braided pigtails, The Red Headed Stranger continues to tour and delight audiences to this day.
