Just over three decades ago, Willie Nelson released Stardust, an album of 10 pop standards that still stands as the country troubadour’s most successful release to date. (Columbia/Legacy released a 30th-anniversary edition of the album last year that includes a second disc of 16 additional gems from the Great American Songbook.) Now comes word from Blue Note Records that Nelson will release a second album of standards on August 25. Titled American Classic, the album will be Nelson’s solo debut on Blue Note (his first release on the imprint was last year’s live set Two Men With the Blues, a spirited collaboration with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis). Produced by Tommy LiPuma, American Classic features guest appearances by Norah Jones and Diana Krall, string arrangements by Johnny Mandel, and a backing band that includes pianist Joe Sample, bassist Christian McBride, drummer Lewis Nash and Nelson’s longtime sidekick Mickey Raphael on harmonica. Here’s a look at the tracks:
- The Nearness of You
- Fly Me to the Moon
- Come Rain or Shine
- If I Had You (featuring Krall)
- Ain’t Misbehavin’
- I Miss You So
- Because of You
- Baby It’s Cold Outside (featuring Jones)
- Angel Eyes
- On the Street Where You Live
- Since I Fell for You
- Always On My Mind
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