Make that 98…
Willie Nelson just announced his 98th career studio album (his 73rd solo studio album to go along with his 26 collaborative studio albums), I Don’t Know A Thing About Love is slated for release on March 3rd.
The red headed stranger put out a great record called A Beautiful Time on his 89th birthday last year, and he’s not slowing down one bit in 2023.
The project will consist of fresh takes of 10 classic songs penned by the legendary American songwriter Harlan Howard, who was an early inspiration of Willie’s, and quite famously defined a great country song as “three chords and the truth.”
Over a six-decade career, Harlan churned out dozens of hits, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973 and, in 1997, was inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
And for the lead single, Willie dropped “Busted” today, which was initially a hit for Johnny Cash with the Carter Family in 1963, when it peaked at #13 on the country charts.
It also became a big hit for Ray Charles when it peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ray and Willie Nelson later recorded a live version of it for Ray’s 2005 duets album, Genius & Friends.
Check out Willie’s new studio version here:
I Don’t Know A Thing About Love was produced by Willie’s longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon, and the album art was done by his son, Micah Nelson, in addition to his full band backing him.
It’s hard to say anything about the living legend that hasn’t already been said, but based on the aforementioned recent record he just put out last year, it’s more than safe to say the country outlaw has still got it.
Willie’s also up for four Grammy Awards this year, and with this new album announcement today, 2023 is shaping up to be another massive year for Willie Nelson.
It’s hard to believe we can even still say that, but I couldn’t love it more…
I Don’t Know A Thing About Love tracklist:
1. Tiger By The Tail
2. The Chokin’ Kind
3. Excuse Me (I Think I’ve Got A Heartache)
4. Life Turned Her That Way
5. I Don’t Know A Thing About Love
6. Streets Of Baltimore
7. Busted
8. She Called Me Baby
9. Too Many Rivers
10. Beautiful Annabel Lee
