On September 14th, country music legend Willie Nelson will release his second album in 2018, My Way, following up his 67th studio, Last Man Standing, which was released in April. At 85 years old, Nelson’s upcoming new album will pay tribute to the iconic singer Frank Sinatra, with the album featuring Nelson’s own renditions on classics from the extensive Sinatra songbook.
Due out via Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, and produced by Buddy Cannon and Matt Rollings, My Way finds the famed singer-songwriter and guitarist reimagining eleven beloved Frank Sinatra-popularized tunes like “Summer Wind”, “It Was A Very Good Year”, “I’ll Be Around”, “Fly Me To The Moon”, “Young At Hear”, and the album’s title track, “My Way”. The album will also see Nelson team with songstress and past collaborator Norah Jones for a cover of Cole Porter‘s “What Is This Thing Called Love”.
It’s apt that Nelson is using his 68th studio album to pay tribute to Frank Sinatra. The country star and the beloved crooner were friends and mutual admirers, with Sinatra opening for Nelson in Las Vegas in the 1980s and the two teaming up for a special public service announcement for NASA’s Space Foundation in 1987.
Â
[Video:Â NASA Spinoff]
My Way will mark the latest crossover tribute album created by Nelson, who released his immensely successful album of pop standards, Stardust, in 1978; his tribute to George Gershwin, Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin, in 2016; and a number of albums dedicated to Bob Dylan classics over the past half-decade. Per a recent interview with AARP Magazine, Nelson explained his connection to Frank Sinatra’s music, explaining, “I learned a lot about phrasing listening to Frank [Sinatra]. He didn’t worry about behind the beat or in front of the beat, or whatever – he could sing it either way, and that’s the feel you have to have.”
You can watch out the music video for Willie Nelson’s newly released rendition of “Summer Wind” below. Plus, check out the tracklisting for the upcoming My Way Frank Sinatra tribute below.
“Summer Wind”
