Simply timeless.
Today, Ernest released a duet with Lukas Nelson called “Time Is A Thief,” which was written by Matt McKinney, Rivers Rutherford, and Jimmy Yeary and serves as the closing track of Ernest’s forthcoming album Deep Blue, which is due out everywhere on May 1st.
The song finds them reflecting on life’s most precious asset, time itself, and it’s a beautiful classic country ballad that sounds like it could’ve been played on the Opry stage 40 years ago but still sounds fresh and current now, making it timeless in every sense. These two have worked together before, as Lukas was featured on a song called “Why Dallas” which was on Ernest’s 2024 Nashville, Tennessee album, and it was superb, and I’m not surprised in the least that they’ve once again delivered with such a beautiful song.
In many ways, it reminds me of the music Lukas’ legendary father Willie put out, specifically “Funny How Time Slips Away,” which is probably why I’m so partial to it, and the lyrics are simple yet so stunning and complex at the same time, resonating with truth in every line:
“Time is a damned old outlaw
Always on the run
He’ll set you down
And buy you rounds
And rob you when you’re done
Time is a cold wind blowin’
Chills you to the bone
A bitter freeze blowin’ through the trees
Till all your leaves are gone
It’s like a penny
Like a penny
On a busy sidewalk
Stepped over and ignored
It don’t mean nothin’
Don’t mean nothin’
Nothin’ to ya
Till you’re a penny short”
Amen to that…
Ernest says it’s one of his personal favorites on Deep Blue, and I already know it’s one of mine too even though I haven’t heard the full tracklist yet:
“This is one of my favorite songs on the album. I had the pleasure of getting to sing it with my friend Lukas Nelson. We recorded it in one day, and the vocal you hear on the record is the vocal we sang down as the band played it that day. I told Lukas to take a pass down on guitar, and that’s what you hear… one pass from Mr Lukas.
Lukas adds that Ernest has a “great knack for recognizing great songs,” and he loved working with him on this one:
“ERNEST has a great knack for recognizing great songs. Loved being able to collaborate with him on this one.”
These two in particular have such a reverence and respect for classic country music, so the fact that they decided to cut one themselves doesn’t surprise me, and I can’t get enough of it. Do yourself a favor and check it out:
“Time Is A Thief”
Deep Blue Tracklist:
Lorelei (Ernest Keith Smith, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Mark Holman)
Edge Of The U.S.A. (Ernest Keith Smith, Jacob Durrett, Chris Lane)
What’s A Little Rain (Ernest Keith Smith, Rodney Clawson, David Garcia)
Lucky (Ernest Keith Smith, Cody Lohden)
Quit While We’re Behind (Ernest Keith Smith, Scotty Emerick, Trent Tomlinson)
Somewhere In The Caribbean (Scotty Emerick, Paul Overstreet)
End Of The Night (Toby Keith, David Lee Murphy, Bobby Pinson)
Waste A Day (Ernest Keith Smith, Rodney Clawson, David Garcia)
Deep Blue (Ernest Keith Smith, Grady Block, Rocky Block, Hank Compton, Jamie McLaughlin)
If I’m Not Careful (Ernest Keith Smith, Ronnie Bowman, Clint Daniels, Chandler Paul Walters)
Same Moon (Ernest Keith Smith, Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, Mark Holman)
Boat Named After You (Nathan Chapman, Tony Lane)
Time Is A Thief feat. Lukas Nelson (Matt McKinney, Rivers Rutherford, Jimmy Yeary)
ERNEST 2026 Tour Dates
4/17 – Bettendorf, IA – Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center
4/18 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue #
4/23 – Knoxville, TN – The Mill & Mine #
4/24 – Cullman, AL – Alabama Strawberry Festival 2026
4/25 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel #
4/26 – Chattanooga, TN – The Signal #
5/2 – Key West, FL – Key West Songwriters Festival 2026
5/5 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry
6/13 – Atlanta, GA – Braves Country Fest 2026
7/1 – Trois-Rivières, QC – Festivoix 2026
7/7 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Stampede 2026
7/10 – Fort Loramie, OH – Country Concert 2026
7/11 – Youngstown, OH – Y-Live
7/12 – Rhinelander, WI – Hodag Country Festival 2026
7/18 – Paso Robles, CA – California Mid-State Fair 2026
7/24 – Avon, OH – Country Rising Festival Cleveland 206
7/25 – Marysville, OH – Union Country Fairgrounds
8/8 – Arcadia, WI – Ashley For The Arts 2026
8/25 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
10/2 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center ^
10/3 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center ^
10/9 – Albuquerque, NM – Financial Credit Union Amphitheater ^
10/10 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre ^
10/17 – Mesquite, NV – I-15 Country and Rock Music Festival 2026
11/20-22 – St. Petersburg, FL – St. Pete Country Fest 2026
# supported by Rhys Rutherford
* supporting Ian Munsick
^ supporting Thomas Rhett
