Willie Nelson to Release New Studio Album, The Border, on May 31

Still active as ever on the cusp of 91, Willie Nelson has announced his new studio album, The Border, set for release on May 31st via Legacy Recordings. 

Produced by longtime associate Buddy Cannon, the record will feature Willie’s own renditions of 10 contemporary country tunes, including four new compositions penned by Nelson and Cannon themselves: “Once Upon a Yesterday,” “What If I’m Out of My Mind,” “Kiss Me When You’re Through” and “How Much Does It Cost.” Check out an early taste of the album with the Rodney Crowell-originated title cut below, which is available now across all DSPs.  

Co-written by Crowell and Allen Shamblin for Crowell’s 2019 Texas album, “The Border” evokes the life of a border guard during the thick of the Trump era that only becomes more humanist in its meditation on this controversial subject under Nelson’s sage-like worldliness, bringing the song’s woes into the present day. 

In addition, The Border (his 152nd album, according to Texas Monthly’s interactive All Willie Nelson Albums Ranked list), also includes “Hank’s Guitar,” a new song co-written by Cannon and Bobby Tomberlin in addition to Willie’s renditions of songs by by Larry Cordle & Erin Enderlin (“I Wrote This Song for You”), Rodney Crowell & Will Jennings (“Many a Long and Lonesome Highway”), Shawn Camp & Monty Holmes (“Made in Texas”) and Mike Reid (“Nobody Knows Me Like You”).

Personnel featured in the creation of The Border alongside Willie Nelson and Trigger include Mickey Raphael (harmonica), Bobby Terry (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar), James Mitchell (electric guitar), Jim “Moose” Brown (Wurlitzer, B-3 organ, piano, synthesizer), Fred Eltringham (drums, percussion) and Barry Bales (upright bass); backing vocals are by Buddy Cannon, and Melonie Cannon. Cover art for The Border depicts the Big Bend border area between Texas and Mexico.

Willie Nelson and friends are enjoying this year’s Luck Reunion today and will be performing at the 2024 Stagecoach Country Music Festival at Empire Polo Field in Indio, California, on Saturday, April 27.

The highly anticipated Outlaw Music Festival Tour 2024, meanwhile, kicks off in June with an incredible lineup of acts joining Willie and Family onstage including Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, John Mellencamp, Billy Strings and more. See below for tour dates. 

Willie Nelson’s The Border will be available digitally, on CD and black vinyl. Collectors will want to head to Barnes & Noble for an exclusive LP edition of The Border, pressed on orange vinyl. There will also be an exclusive vinyl version offered on Willie’s D2C store that includes a 12” x 12” designed lyric book featuring extensive listening notes by legendary music journalist Mikal Gilmore and photos by Pamela Springsteen. All versions are available for pre-order HERE.

 

Willie Nelson – The Border

1. The Border
2. Once Upon a Yesterday
3. What If I’m Out of My Mind
4. When I Wrote This Song for You
5. Kiss Me When You’re Through
6. Many a Long and Lonesome Highway
7. Hank’s Guitar
8. Made in Texas
9. Nobody Knows Me Like You
10. How Much Does It Cost

 

Willie Nelson & Family with Bob Dylan:

06-21 Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre ^%

06-22 Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion ^%

06-23 Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park ^%

06-26 Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach ^%

06-28 Syracuse, NY – Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview ^%

06-29 Wantagh, NY – Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater ^%

06-30 Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center ^%

07-02 Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center ^%

07-06 Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts ^%

07-07 Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium ^%

07-29 Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre &@

07-31 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl &@

08-03 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre &@

08-04 Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre &@

08-07 Boise, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater &@

08-09 Spokane, WA – One Spokane Stadium &@

08-10 George, WA – Gorge Amphitheatre &>@

09-06 Somerset, WI – Somerset Amphitheater &*

09-07 Tinley Park, IL – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre &*

09-08 St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre &*

09-11 Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center &*

09-12 Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center &*

09-14 Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake &*

09-15 Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre &*

09-17 Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater &*

^ with Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

% with Celisse

& with John Mellencamp

> with Billy Strings

@ with Brittney Spencer

* with Southern Avenue

 

AUDIO: Willie Nelson “The Border”