Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release First Rose of Spring—Willie Nelson‘s 70th solo studio album (and 14th for the label)–on Friday, April 24 (right before Willie‘s 87th birthday on April 29).
First Rose of Spring will be available on CD, vinyl and digital formats as well as part of exclusive merch bundles on Willie‘s web store. The album’s title track and the “First Rose Of Spring” music video are being released today.
Watch the video for “First Rose Of Spring” below…
An atmospheric soulful showcase of beautifully-written songs and poignant performances, First Rose Of Spring is the artist’s first new release since winning the 2020 Best Country Solo Performance Grammy Award–Willie‘s 10th overall, not including his Grammy Legend and Lifetime Achievement Awards–for “Ride Me Back Home,” the title track from his 2019 Legacy Recordings release. The previous year, My Way, Willie‘s musical homage to Frank Sinatra took home the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Premiering 11 new Willie Nelson studio performances and featuring original artwork created by Willie‘s son Micah, First Rose Of Spring finds Willie working again with longtime friend and producer Buddy Cannon and debuts two new songs co-written by the pair: “Blue Star” and “Love Just Laughed.”
Alongside his new compositions on the album, Willie pays musical tribute to a variety of pop and country songwriters and performers, interpreting songs penned by Toby Keith (“Don’t Let The Old Man In“), Billy Joe Shaver (“We Are The Cowboys“) and Pete Graves (“Just Bummin’ Around“ – a song recorded by Jimmy Dean, Dean Martin and others).
Willie Nelson – First Rose Of Spring
1. First Rose Of Spring (Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin & Mark Beeson)
2. Blue Star (Willie Nelson & Buddy Cannon)
3. I’ll Break Out Again Tonight (Sanger “Whitey“ Shafer & Doodle Owens)
4. Don’t Let The Old Man In (Toby Keith)
5. Just Bummin’ Around (Pete Graves)
6. Our Song (Chris Stapleton)
7. We Are The Cowboys (Billy Joe Shaver)
8. Stealing Home (Marla Cannon-Goodman, Casey Beathard & Don Sampson)
9. I’m The Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised (Wayne Kemp, Bobby Borchers & Mack Vickery)
10. Love Just Laughed (Willie Nelson & Buddy Cannon)
11. Yesterday When I Was Young (Hier Encore) (Charles Aznavour & Herbert Kretzmer)
