Tipping his cowboy hat to one of the greats, Merle Haggard.

This week, Willie Nelson released his new record Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle, which features 11 country classics penned by the Hag himself. Marking Willie’s 78th career solo studio album (the 155th of his career in total), it’s a beautiful project honoring his late friend and one of my favorites the red headed stranger has released in the last several years.

Of course, Willie and Merle were very close friends for over 50 years, and first met in Nashville in the early 60’s, of course, during a poker game at Willie’s house. This was before either of them went back home, Merle to Bakersfield and Willie to Texas, and they had an instant connection.

In a Rolling Stone article from 2016, following his death around a week prior in April, Willie wrote about their friendship and how much Merle meant to him:

“Merle and I were buddies from way back. I first met him at a poker game at my house in Nashville in the early Sixties, before he went back to Bakersfield and I went back to Texas.

We always had a lot in common. We both hopped trains as kids. We both got our starts playing bass in other bands before stepping out on our own. We’d both been married for the last 20 years. We both had our sons playing guitar with us. Over the years, we played a lot of dates, a lot of poker.

He was a great audience for my jokes. I told him recently, ‘You know what you call a guitar player without a girlfriend? Homeless,’ and he laughed.”

They worked together many times over the years, of course we all know their legendary 1983 project Pancho and Lefty, and if you haven’t read about the story of how it all came to be when Merle visited Austin and they recorded their iconic song, you must learn more about that HERE.

They also put out 1987’s Seashores of Old Mexico, 2007’s Last Of The Breed (alongside Ray Price) and 2015’s Django and Jimmie.

The tracklist on Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle features a bunch of Merle hits like “Silver Wings,” “Okie From Muskogee,” “Swingin’ Doors,” and many more. Wille produced the record alongside longtime bandmate, his harmonica player and friend Mickey Raphael, and it was recorded at Nelson’s Pedernales Studios in Austin.

It also features the final recordings he did with his sister Bobbie Nelson and drummer Paul English, which makes it that much more special. With Bobbie on piano and English behind the drum kit, the project also features Raphael on harmonica, Kevin Smith on bass and Paul’s brother Billy English on additional drums and percussion.

In the past decade or so, Willie has released many tribute albums for his friends and other music legends he looked up to, dedicating multiple project to the music of Harlan Howard, Ray Price, George Gershwin and Rodney Crowell, in addition to two projects honoring the music of Frank Sinatra.

I love that he continues to keep their incredible music alive, and of course Willie can do no wrong in my book, and it’s inspiring to see him continuing to do what he loves most at 92-years-old.

Considering he’s into his 90’s now, Willie’s voice is perfectly weathered and sounds so perfectly aged, like a fine wine. He delivers every song with heart, and I know his friend Merle would absolutely love that Willie honored him in this way. They’re in a league of their own in terms of how much they mean to the fabric of country music and the impact they’ve had, though it’s rare you see an icon like Willie put out something so meaningful for a friend with equal status and meaning who was such a huge part of his life and career.

Willie was just nominated for a 2025 Grammy Award in the new best traditional country album category with Oh What a Beautiful World, but I think this one deserves a nomination too, because it’s impeccable like everything Willie puts out… he just continues to get better with age, and this covers album full of Merle Haggard hits proves it once again.

“Silver Wings”

“Today I Started Loving You Again”

“Mama Tried”

“If We Make It Through December”

“I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink”

Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle Tracklist:

1. Workin’ Man Blues

2. Silver Wings

3. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down

4. Today I Started Loving You Again

5. Swinging Doors

6. Okie From Muskogee

7. Mama Tried

8. I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink

9. Somewhere Between

10. If We Make It Through December

11. Ramblin’ Fever