Willie Nelson Just Did What Every Country Fan Hoped He Would—A Soulful Farewell to His Old Friend Merle Haggard. ML
Willie Nelson Honors His Late Friend Merle Haggard With Heartfelt Tribute Album “Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle”
Country legend Willie Nelson is preparing to honor one of his dearest friends and most enduring collaborators, Merle Haggard, with a new album that celebrates the timeless connection they shared through song. The record, titled Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle, arrives November 7 and includes 11 tracks penned by Haggard — among them beloved staples like “Silver Wings,” “Swingin’ Doors,” and “Okie From Muskogee.”
For Nelson, who turns 92, the project represents far more than just another entry in his vast catalog. It’s both a tribute to friendship and a farewell to family, marking his 78th solo studio album and the 155th release overall in a career that spans more than seven decades. Significantly, it includes the final recordings with his sister and longtime pianist Bobbie Nelson, as well as drummer Paul English, both central figures in his Family Band.
A Bond Forged in Country Music History
Nelson and Haggard’s friendship blossomed out of a shared respect for each other’s artistry and their deep understanding of working-class America — the heart and soul of classic country music. Together, they redefined the outlaw sound through albums like Pancho and Lefty (1983), Seashores of Old Mexico (1987), Last of the Breed (2007, with Ray Price), and Django and Jimmie (2015), their final collaboration before Haggard’s passing in 2016.
“Merle had this raw honesty in his writing,” Nelson once said. “He wrote what people lived — and I always admired that.”
On Workin’ Man, Nelson revisits that honesty with the wisdom of age and the intimacy of memory. His voice, weathered yet tender, carries the songs with reverence, allowing listeners to feel both loss and gratitude.
Rediscovering “Somewhere Between”
Ahead of the album’s release, Nelson unveiled his version of “Somewhere Between,” a Haggard composition co-written with then-wife Bonnie Owens and first featured on Haggard’s 1967 record Branded Man. Nelson’s rendition strips the song to its emotional core — no frills, just voice and melody in perfect balance.
“Somewhere between your heart and mine,
There’s a love I can’t understand.”
The simplicity of Nelson’s approach turns the song into a quiet meditation on love, distance, and understanding — themes both artists explored their entire lives.
A Family Affair and a Farewell
Produced by Mickey Raphael, Nelson’s longtime harmonica player, Workin’ Man was recorded at Pedernales Studios in Austin with a tight-knit group of musicians: Kevin Smith on bass, Billy English on percussion, and Paul English on drums. Their familiarity lends the album an unmistakable sense of home — a musical circle that closes gently, not with grief, but with grace.
For Nelson, the record stands as both a celebration of Merle’s genius and a reflection of his own journey — two kindred spirits connected by melody, memory, and miles of road shared between them.
As Nelson put it in a recent statement: “Merle’s songs still speak to everyone who’s ever worked hard, loved deep, or lost something worth keeping. I’m proud to sing them again.”
