Willie Nelson - The Border
JamFest
Willie Nelson’s The Border is a ride through the landscapes of the heart and the stories that shape us, with Willie’s inimitable voice and the heartfelt lyrics that come from it leading the way.
Willie Nelson, a man never content to just kick back and relax, is back with his 75th solo studio album, The Border. Produced by longtime friend Buddy Cannon, it continues the Nelson legacy of blending affecting storytelling with earnest melodies. The album delivers ten freshly recorded studio performances, including four new compositions with Buddy Cannon - “Once Upon a Yesterday,” “What If I’m Out Of My Mind,” “Kiss Me When You’re Through,” and “How Much Does It Cost.” The album also features “Hank’s Guitar,” a new song co-written by Cannon and Tomberlin.
The Border follows Nelson’s Grammy-winning A Beautiful Time, which took home Best Country Album in 2023. This new collection, backed by Nashville’s finest musicians, feels poised to be another instant classic. The eponymous track, "The Border," originally written by Rodney Crowell and Allen Shamblin for Crowell’s 2019 album Texas, examines the inner life and outer reality of a border guard. Nelson’s new interpretation adds a layer of wisdom and universal relevance, making it a standout song on the album. Staying true to his tradition of highlighting the work of his favorite songwriters, Nelson rounds out the album with his takes on Larry Cordle and Erin Enderlin’s “I Wrote This Song For You”, Rodney Crowell and Will Jennings’ “Many A Long And Lonesome Highway”, Shawn Camp and Monty Holmes’ “Made In Texas”, and Mike Reid’s “Nobody Knows Me Like You”.
The musicians accompanying Nelson on The Border include Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Bobby Terry on acoustic and electric guitars and steel guitar, James Mitchell on electric guitar, Jim “Moose” Brown on Wurlitzer, B-3 organ, piano, and synthesizer, Fred Eltringham on drums and percussion, and Barry Bales on upright bass. Backing vocals are provided by Buddy Cannon and Melonie Cannon, adding harmony to Nelson’s timeless voice. The cover art is a vivid depiction of the Big Bend border area between Texas and Mexico, reflecting the album’s thematic exploration of boundaries, both physical and metaphorical.
