Workin' Man
| Workin' Man | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 7, 2025 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 39:01 | |||
| Label | Legacy | |||
| Producer |
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| Willie Nelson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Workin' Man | ||||
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Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle is the 78th solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. It was released on November 7, 2025, through Legacy Recordings.[1] Produced by Nelson and Mickey Raphael, the album contains eleven songs by Nelson's late frequent collaborator Merle Haggard.[2]
Background
[edit]Nelson had recorded four studio duet albums with Haggard, from the 1983 Pancho & Lefty (which yielded a #1 hit with the title track) to Haggard's final studio album Django and Jimmie in 2015. This album includes Nelson's last recordings with Bobbie Nelson and Paul English, both long-serving members of his Family Band.[3]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [4] |
Mark Deming at AllMusic praised the performances of Nelson and the band's "in the moment" approach to the performances (including studio chatter and ad-libs) but noted that Nelson chose to interpret Haggard's most familiar songs.[4]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Workin' Man Blues" | Merle Haggard | 5:15 |
| 2. | "Silver Wings" | Haggard | 5:58 |
| 3. | "The Bottle Let Me Down" | Haggard | 2:47 |
| 4. | "Today I Started Loving You Again" |
| 3:24 |
| 5. | "Swinging Doors" | Haggard | 2:52 |
| 6. | "Okie from Muskogee" |
| 2:49 |
| 7. | "Mama Tried" | Haggard | 2:18 |
| 8. | "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" | Haggard | 3:30 |
| 9. | "Somewhere Between" |
| 3:03 |
| 10. | "If We Make It Through December" | Haggard | 3:30 |
| 11. | "Ramblin' Fever" | Haggard | 3:35 |
| Total length: | 39:01 | ||
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from Tidal.[5]
- Willie Nelson – vocals, Trigger, production
- Mickey Raphael – production, harmonica
- Billy English – drums, percussion
- Paul English – drums, percussion
- Kevin Smith – electric bass guitar, upright bass
- Bobbie Nelson – piano
- Steve Chadie – engineering
- Brando Marius – additional engineering
- Charlie Kramsky – engineering assistance
- Tony Castle – mixing
- Andrew Mendelson – mastering
- Adam Battershell – mastering assistance
- Joey Salit – mastering assistance
- Luke Armentrout – mastering assistance
- Taylor Chadwick – mastering assistance
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Croatian International Albums (HDU)[6] | 14 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[7] | 99 |
| UK Americana Albums (OCC)[8] | 22 |
| UK Country Albums (OCC)[9] | 1 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[10] | 44 |
References
[edit]- ^ Breihan, Tom (September 4, 2025). "Willie Nelson Announces 155th Album Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle". Stereogum. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ Gammell, Áine (September 4, 2025). "Willie Nelson announces album Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle". Hot Press. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ Kreps, Daniel (September 4, 2025). "Willie Nelson Pays Tribute to Merle Haggard on New Album 'Workin' Man'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ a b Collar, Matt (1 November 2024). "Last Leaf on the Tree review". AllMusic. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
- ^ "Workin' Man: Willie Sings Merle / Willie Nelson / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
- ^ "Lista Prodaje 47. Tjedan 2025" [Sales list Week 47 2025] (in Croatian). HDU. November 23, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ^ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
- ^ "Willie Nelson Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
