An atmospheric soulful showcase of beautifully-written songs and poignant performances, First Rose Of Spring is Willie Nelson's first new release since winning the 2020 Best Country Solo Performance Grammy Award - his tenth overall - for "Ride Me Back Home," the title track from his 2019 Legacy Recordings release. The previous year, My Way, Willie's musical homage to Frank Sinatra took home the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
While his last few albums have focused on facing the reality of mortality and crying or laughing in its face, this one is focused much more on celebrating the now and embracing life, love and friends and family. Premiering 11 new Willie Nelson studio performances and featuring original artwork created by Willie's son Micah, First Rose Of Spring finds Willie working again with longtime friend and producer Buddy Cannon and debuts two new songs co-written by the pair: "Blue Star" and "Love Just Laughed."
Alongside his new compositions on the album, Willie pays musical tribute to a variety of pop and country songwriters and performers, interpreting songs penned by Toby Keith ("Don't Let The Old Man In"), Billy Joe Shaver ("We Are The Cowboys") and Pete Graves ("Just Bummin' Around" - a song recorded by Jimmy Dean, Dean Martin and others).
- First Rose of Spring
- Blue Star
- I'll Break Out Again Tonight
- Don't Let the Old Man In
- Just Bummin' Around
- Our Song
- We Are the Cowboys
- Stealing Home
- I'm the Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised
- Love Just Laughed
- Yesterday When I Was Young (Hier Encore)