Willie Nelson Unveils Lead Single from Upcoming Album ‘The Border’

Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release Willie Nelson’s new studio album, The Border, in all configurations on Friday, May 31st.

Willie Nelson’s The Border will be available digitally, on CD and black vinyl. Meanwhile Barnes & Noble will offer an exclusive LP edition of The Border, pressed on orange vinyl. An exclusive vinyl version will also be offered on Willie’s D2C store that includes a 12×12″ designed lyric book featuring the gorgeous album artwork with extensive listening notes by noted writer Mikal Gilmore and photos by Pamela Springsteen.

The album’s title track – Willie’s insightful interpretation of Rodney Crowell’s “The Border” – is available on all DSPs now.

Cowritten by Rodney Crowell and Allen Shamblin for Crowell’s 2019 Texas album (a thematic tribute to the Lone Star State, which featured guest artist Willie Nelson), “The Border” describes the inner life and outer reality of a border guard. Willie’s wise, worldly take on the provocative song taps into the urgent universal relevancy that defines “The Border.”

In keeping with his longstanding tradition of shining a light on country music’s finest songwriters, Willie rounded out The Border, his first album in 2024, with his versions of compositions by Larry Cordle & Erin Enderlin (“I Wrote This Song for You”), Rodney Crowell & Will Jennings (“Many a Long and Lonesome Highway”), Shawn Camp & Monty Holmes (“Made in Texas”) and Mike Reid (“Nobody Knows Me Like You”).

Produced by longtime musical collaborator Buddy Cannon, The Border showcases Willie Nelson (lead vocals, Trigger) accompanied by Mickey Raphael (harmonica), Bobby Terry (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar), James Mitchell (electric guitar), Jim “Moose” Brown (Wurlitzer, B-3 organ, piano, synthesizer), Fred Eltringham (drums, percussion) and Barry Bales (upright bass); backing vocals are by Buddy Cannon, and Melonie Cannon. The Border features cover art depicting the Big Bend border area between Texas and Mexico.

The Border Track Listing:

1. The Border
2. Once Upon a Yesterday
3. What If I’m Out of My Mind
4. When I Wrote This Song for You
5. Kiss Me When You’re Through
6. Many a Long and Lonesome Highway
7. Hank’s Guitar
8. Made in Texas
9. Nobody Knows Me Like You
10. How Much Does It Cost

Willie Nelson ‘The Border’ album artwork