When the Smoke Clears and the Strings Settle, Willie Nelson’s Tribute to Merle Haggard Might Be His Most Personal Yet. ML
Willie Nelson is set to honor his longtime friend and collaborator Merle Haggard with a new album titled Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle, arriving November 7. The project will feature 11 Haggard compositions, including fan favorites “Silver Wings,” “Swingin’ Doors,” and “Okie From Muskogee.”
The release marks Nelson’s 78th solo studio album and 155th overall career project, extending one of the most prolific discographies in country music history. It also holds special significance, including the final recordings with his sister Bobbie Nelson and drummer Paul English, both key members of his Family Band who passed away in recent years.
Nelson and Haggard shared a close bond spanning decades, recording together on albums like Pancho and Lefty (1983), Seashores of Old Mexico (1987), and Django and Jimmie (2015). Their collaborations helped shape the outlaw country movement and reflected the two artists’ shared respect for honest, storytelling-driven songwriting.
Ahead of the album’s release, Nelson shared his cover of “Somewhere Between,” originally co-written by Haggard and Bonnie Owens in 1967. The stripped-down version highlights Nelson’s signature phrasing and emotional delivery, with lines like:
“Somewhere between your heart and mine,
There’s a love I can’t understand.”
Workin’ Man was produced by Mickey Raphael at Nelson’s Pedernales Studios in Austin and features Kevin Smith on bass, Billy English on percussion, and the late Paul English on drums. The album, steeped in tradition and memory, reflects Nelson’s continued mission to honor the great storytellers of country music — and to keep their songs alive for future generations.
At 92, Willie Nelson shows no signs of slowing down. Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle is not just a tribute — it’s a testament to friendship, legacy, and the enduring soul of American country music.
