Last Year, Robert Earl Keen released the Western Chill box set. The collection included the album, a songbook featuring all fourteen songs, a DVD of Keen and his band performing the album in its entirety at his Snake Barn studio, and a graphic novel inspired by the album. However, there was a catch. Fans could only hear the new release if they bought the physical box set. That’s changing this summer.
Videos by American Songwriter
Today, Keen announced that he will release Western Chill to streaming platforms on June 7. The album will also be available to purchase digitally. He’s giving fans a sample of what they can expect from the collection with “Let’s Valet.” Listen to the swinging new track below.
Keen co-wrote “Let’s Valet” with Hall of Famer Dean Dillon and Taylor Lee Titus. In press materials, Keen reveals that Titus was a talent handler who unintentionally gave him the title of the song. He helped him navigate a “CMA thing” in the past. “She could take me through the crowds, get me up to the reporters, get on the red carpet, the whole business of it,” he recalled. “We went all over Nashville. And at one point we got stuck in this big traffic jam and I went, ‘Well, what are we going to do now, Taylor?’ and she goes, ‘Let’s valet!’” he explained.
“You know what, I’ve heard a lot of people tell me, ‘Here’s a great song title, here’s a great song,’ all that stuff. But Taylor, bingo. That is a song title.”
Robert Earl Keen on the Digital Release of Western Chill
Robert Earl Keen spoke about the digital release of Western Chill in a statement. “This is for my fans who have all but begged for me to release Western Chill digitally,” he shared. “The fans spoke and we listened. You want Western Chill on the go so we’re releasing this labor of love, and given that it’s digital, I trust you’ll share it,” he added.
Western Chill Tracklist
- “Western Chill”
- “Blue Light” featuring Bill Whitbeck
- “Waves” featuring Brian Beken
- “Hello Stranger” featuring Kym Warner
- “The City” featuring Brian Beken
- “Let’s Valet”
- ”Balmorhea”
- “Marfa”
- “Bone and Flowers” featuring Bill Whitbeck
- “Sweet Summer Rain”
- “Mister Mockingbird” featuring Bill Whitbeck
- “Mr. Blues on the Run”
- “Walking On”
- “Rippling Waters”
Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
