SPICEWOOD, TX- At 91 years old, Willie Nelson remains one of country music’s most enduring figures. On November 7, Legacy Recordings will release his latest project, Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle. It’s his 78th solo studio album, and this time Nelson turns his focus to the work of Merle Haggard, a peer, collaborator, and friend.
The record carries an extra layer of poignancy: it features the final in-studio performances of two of Nelson’s most trusted bandmates, his sister and pianist Bobbie Nelson, and longtime drummer Paul English. Their presence ensures that the album resonates not just as a tribute to Haggard, but as a farewell to key members of Nelson’s Family Band.
Nelson and Haggard’s friendship began in the 1960s, when both were carving out careers on the fringes of Nashville’s mainstream. They quickly became kindred spirits—bonded by music, mutual admiration, and a taste for mischief. That camaraderie found its fullest expression in the studio.
In 1983, the pair released Pancho & Lefty, a collaboration that produced one of country’s most beloved duets. The story of the recording has become legend: Willie, inspired by Townes Van Zandt’s song, roused Haggard from his bus at 5 A.M. to cut his vocal in a single take. The track shot to No. 1 and solidified their chemistry.
Two more albums followed: 1987’s Seashores of Old Mexico and 2015’s Django and Jimmie, the latter released just months before Haggard’s passing. With Workin’ Man, Nelson revisits that friendship through Haggard’s words and melodies.
The album spans Haggard’s career with eleven hand-picked tracks. It opens with “Workin’ Man Blues,” Haggard’s 1969 anthem of labor and grit, reimagined here with Willie’s unmistakable phrasing. Other standouts include “Mama Tried,” “Okie From Muskogee,” and “If We Make It Through December,” songs that capture both the toughness and tenderness of Haggard’s writing.
From early honky-tonk cuts like “Swinging Doors” and “Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down” to later classics such as “Ramblin’ Fever,” the selections showcase the breadth of Merle’s songwriting while allowing Nelson to imprint his own weathered perspective.
What makes the record especially moving are the contributions of Bobbie Nelson and Paul English. Bobbie’s piano was a fixture of Willie’s sound for decades, a graceful counterpoint to his off-beat delivery. Paul, immortalized in Willie’s “Me and Paul,” was more than a drummer… he was a confidant and protector, his steady rhythms anchoring Willie’s live shows since the mid-’60s.
Both passed away in recent years, but not before leaving their final musical imprints on this project. Hearing them alongside Willie as he revisits Haggard’s catalog adds a layer of emotional gravity. The album becomes not just a salute to Merle, but also a quiet goodbye to family members who helped carry Nelson’s music for half a century.
The release of Workin’ Man coincides with a renewed focus on Haggard, spurred in part by Ethan Hawke’s documentary Highway 99: A Double Album. Nelson appears prominently in the film, underscoring the depth of their bond. At the same time, he continues to tour, lead Farm Aid, and introduce his cannabis-infused Willie’s Remedy+ tonics on the road.
That balance—paying homage to the past while forging ahead—has always defined Nelson. This album is another example: a collection of Haggard’s songs that simultaneously honors friendship, family, and the endurance of country music itself.
For fans who caught Nelson at Luck Reunion earlier this year, the spirit of this project was already evident. Performing under the wide Texas skies with Trigger in hand, Willie proved that his music remains as vital as ever. Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle will capture that same spirit on record, offering not only a tribute to Merle Haggard, but also a deeply personal farewell to two of the closest companions in Nelson’s long, remarkable journey.
The album will be available digitally, on CD and as a single LP black vinyl release and may be pre-ordered HERE.
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