Willie Nelson Reimagines His Classic Songs on New Album ‘Bluegrass’

Willie Nelson is putting a bluegrass spin on some of his classic hits with his new album, Bluegrass.

The legendary singer has selected 12 songs he’s written throughout his illustrious career that he performs alongside a bluegrass ensemble. Among the tracks are “On the Road Again,” “Sad Songs And Waltzes,” “Good Hearted Woman,” which he co-wrote with Waylon Jennings, and “Man With the Blues.”

The project, available September 15, was produced by longtime collaborator Buddy Cannon. Nelson offers a taste of the album with a bluegrass rendition of “You Left Me a Long, Long Time Ago,” the opening track on his 1972 album, The Willie Way. Listen to the track below.

This marks Nelson’s first tribute album to the genre of bluegrass music. “Willie’s new album is a salute to the Appalachian old-time string band music which crystalized into a genre and was given a name by Kentucky songwriter/performer/recording artist Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, whose post-war recordings profoundly influenced Willie’s songwriting sensibilities and the direction of American country music in general,” a press release described.

“With Bluegrass, Willie uncovers new truths in his own songs,” the release continued.

The legendary singer is no stranger to tributes. His performance of “Live Forever” off the 2022 album, Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver, won Best Country Solo Performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards. He celebrated his 90th birthday in April 2023 with a star-studded tribute concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles that featured performances by Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Snoop Dogg, Sheryl Crow and other music greats over the course of two nights.

Nelson was recently announced as one of the inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2023. The ceremony will take place on November 3 in Brooklyn, New York, at the Barclays Center and will air on HBO on a to-be-announced date.

Willie Nelson Bluegrass Track List:

1. “No Love Around”
2. “Somebody Pick Up My Pieces”
3. “Good Hearted Woman” (co-written with Waylon Jennings)
4. “Sad Songs And Waltzes”
5. “Home Motel”
6. “You Left Me A Long, Long Time Ago”
7. “Yesterday’s Wine”
8. “Bloody Mary Morning”
9. “Slow Down Old World”
10. “Still Is Still Moving To Me”
11. “On The Road Again”
12. “Man With The Blues”

Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images