Country legend Willie Nelson released the title track of his forthcoming new album, First Rose of Spring, on Friday (Feb. 21). The single is accompanied by a music video, which readers can watch above, and further details about the record.

Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin and Mark Beeson co-wrote "First Rose of Spring." The album itself features songs from a range of pop and country songwriters, including Toby Keith, Chris Stapleton and Pete Graves.

First Rose of Spring, Nelson’s 70th solo studio album, will be released on April 24. The record includes 11 new tracks and was produced by Nelson’s longtime friend and collaborator Buddy Cannon. Nelson and Cannon co-wrote two songs on the album, “Blue Star” and “Love Just Laughed;” Nelson also tapped his son Micah to do the artwork for the record.

Nelson's new album closes with a cover of “Hier Encore” a song written in French in 1964 but which became a huge hit for Roy Clark as “Yesterday When I Was Young” in 1969. With his version, Nelson joins artists including Bing Crosby, Elton John, Dusty Springfield and Glen Campbell who have also performed the hit.

Willie Nelson First Rose of Spring
Legacy Recordings
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Nelson, who turns 87 on April 29, won a Grammy in January for Best Country Solo Performance, for "Ride Me Back Home,” the title track of an album he released in 2019, also through Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. First Rose of Spring is Nelson’s 14th release for the label.

Despite some recent health issues, Nelson shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. He’s set to play the Houston Rodeo on March 4 and has been quietly touring this winter, occasionally bringing Green Day’s Tre Cool onstage to play with him. Willie Nelson & Family will also join Stapleton on the road as special guests on his All-American Road Show Tour at stops in Arlington, Texas, on March 14 and Lexington, Ky., on April 25.

Willie Nelson, First Rose of Spring Track List:

1. "First Rose of Spring" (Randy Houser, Allen Shamblin & Mark Beeson)
2. "Blue Star" (Willie Nelson & Buddy Cannon)
3. "I'll Break Out Again Tonight" (Sanger "Whitey" Shafer & Doodle Owens)
4. "Don't Let the Old Man In" (Toby Keith)
5. "Just Bummin' Around" (Pete Graves)
6. "Our Song" (Chris Stapleton)
7. "We Are the Cowboys" (Billy Joe Shaver)
8. "Stealing Home" (Marla Cannon-Goodman, Casey Beathard & Don Sampson)
9. "I'm the Only Hell My Mama Ever Raised" (Wayne Kemp, Bobby Borchers & Mack Vickery)
10. "Love Just Laughed" (Willie Nelson & Buddy Cannon)
11. "Yesterday When I Was Young (Hier Encore)" (Charles Aznavour & Herbert Kretzmer)

Willie Nelson Through the Years

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