Guess how many albums Willie Nelson has released in his lifetime. Guess. More than 50? More than 70? Wrong – 152.
Once at work, I was challenged to listen to all of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s discography, starting in the ‘80s and moving forward in time from there. After a ten-hour shift, I was going insane and still barely made it into this century. I think if there was a similar Willie Nelson challenge, I may remain appreciative of his music, but it would take at least a 40-hour workweek to get through the discography.
Willie Nelson is appropriately releasing his 153rd album, Last Leaf On The Tree, on November 1st via Sony. With a mix of originals and covers across genres, drawing inspiration from The Flaming Lips and Nina Simone alike.
The first single, “Last Leaf”, was released on the 15th. The Tom Waits cover makes total sense for Allen, and it’s spooky to hear him sing about his life and career. “They say I’ve got staying power, here on the tree,” Allen sings. “I’ve been here since Eisenhower, and I’ve outlived even he.”