THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Border is Willie Nelson’s 152nd album (according to Texas Monthly’s interactive All Willie Nelson Albums Ranked list) and features 10 new tracks and four new Nelson / Buddy Cannon compositions — Once Upon A Yesterday, What If I’m Out Of My Mind, Kiss Me When You’re Through and How Much Does It Cost — along with Hank’s Guitar, a new song cowritten by Cannon and Bobby Tomberlin.
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 and Erin Enderlin (I Wrote This Song For You), Rodney Crowell and Will Jennings (Many A Long And Lonesome Highway), Shawn Camp and Monty Holmes (Made in Texas) and Mike Reid (Nobody Knows Me Like You).
Produced by longtime collaborator Cannon, The Border showcases 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 supplied by Buddy and Melonie Cannon. The Border features cover art depicting the Big Bend area between Texas and Mexico.”
The album’s title track was cowritten by Crowell and Allen Shamblin for Crowell’s 2019 Texas album (a thematic tribute to the Lone Star State which featured a guest spot from Nelson), The Border describes the inner life and outer reality of a border guard (“I work on the border, I see what I see”). Willie’s wise worldly take on the provocative song taps into an urgent universal relevancy that defines The Border.”
