Two Legends, One Last Conversation—Willie Nelson’s New Album Is a Heartfelt Tribute to Merle Haggard. ML
Willie Nelson is paying tribute to one of his closest friends and collaborators, Merle Haggard, with a new album that celebrates their shared legacy in country music. The project, Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle, arrives November 7 and will feature 11 songs written by Haggard, including timeless favorites like “Silver Wings,” “Swingin’ Doors,” and “Okie From Muskogee.”
The album marks Nelson’s 78th solo studio release and the 155th of his career overall, extending one of the most prolific catalogs in country music. It also carries emotional weight, as it includes the final recordings with his sister and longtime bandmate Bobbie Nelson, as well as drummer Paul English, both members of his Family Band.
Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard’s Enduring Friendship
Nelson and Haggard’s friendship stretches back decades, built on mutual respect and a shared love of storytelling through song. The two recorded several collaborative albums over the years, including Pancho and Lefty (1983), Seashores of Old Mexico (1987), Last of the Breed (2007, with Ray Price), and Django and Jimmie (2015).
Their musical partnership reflected the best of both artists: Haggard’s working-man realism and Nelson’s freewheeling, heart-on-the-sleeve phrasing. Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle brings those worlds together once more, with Nelson revisiting Haggard’s writing through his own weathered, soulful delivery.
Willie Nelson’s Version of “Somewhere Between”
Ahead of the album’s release, Nelson has shared his cover of “Somewhere Between,” a song Haggard co-wrote with his then-wife Bonnie Owens. Originally released on Haggard’s 1967 album Branded Man, the track captures the ache of love caught between devotion and distance.
Nelson’s version strips the song to its essentials, letting the lyric and melody shine. His voice carries both the tenderness and sorrow of Haggard’s words:
“Somewhere between your heart and mine
There’s a love I can’t understand.”
Including “Somewhere Between” alongside Haggard’s biggest hits gives the song new visibility while staying true to its spirit. It’s a reminder of how deeply Nelson understands his friend’s songwriting and emotional tone.
A Tribute Rooted in Legacy and Loss
Produced with longtime harmonica player Mickey Raphael at Nelson’s Pedernales Studios in Austin, Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle features a small circle of trusted musicians: Kevin Smith on bass, Billy English on percussion, and the late Paul English on drums. The album feels like a family affair, made by people who lived the songs as much as they played them.
For Nelson, now 92, honoring Merle Haggard is as much about preserving a shared history as it is about celebrating the songs themselves. Over the past decade, he has recorded tribute albums for other country legends, including Ray Price, Harlan Howard, and Rodney Crowell, as well as two collections of Frank Sinatra standards. But Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle feels personal, two friends, forever linked by the road, the stage, and the stories that define country music.
