Orville Peck and Willie Nelson are putting out a legendary collaboration on Ned Sublette’s original song “Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other,” coming out on Friday (April 5). The song was written by Sublette in 1982, and Nelson famously recorded a version in 2009.
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Now, Orville Peck is putting his unique spin on it in collaboration with Nelson. Peck recently announced his North American Stampede Tour, as well as a new record deal with Warner Records. “I am incredibly happy to be joining the Warner family and getting back on the road this year,” Peck said in a statement. “I feel happier and healthier than I’ve ever been, and I’m excited to start this new chapter.”
Peck announced the duet with a sneak peek on social media, which featured a short cinematic video with various queer country motifs. It also featured clips of Peck and Nelson playing guitar, focusing only on the artistry of their hands on the instruments.
Orville Peck Announces New Duet With Willie Nelson of Often Overlooked Queer Cowboy Song
Fans were ecstatic for the announcement, which dropped on April 1. Some were apprehensive because of the date, hoping it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke. However, it looks to be real, with the release date included in the video. Lesbian icon Hayley Kiyoko even commented on the video with an applause emoji.
Orville Peck’s most recent musical offering was Bronco from 2022, following up his acclaimed 2019 record Pony. The albums were similar in tone, showcasing Peck’s talent for creating music which feels like slow dancing through neon lights in an empty honkytonk. Bronco kicked it up a notch with more 60s and 70s psychedelic influences, according to Peck in an interview with Thrillist.
Bronco kept the elements of queer love, lust, longing, and yearning of Pony while kicking things up a notch stylistically. Additionally, it expertly continued the narrative of lonely cowboy searching for both freedom and connection in a way that wasn’t repetitive or overdone on his first album.
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