Last year, Willie Nelson celebrated his 89th birthday at his Luck, Texas ranch with–what else?–a live show. But this one was extra special: Austin singer-songwriter Bruce Robison–who’s written songs for the Chicks, George Strait, Faith Hill, and Tim McGraw–assembled a night of Willie disciples to fete the man in style with his own songs. Featuring Willie collaborators like Sheryl Crow and Margo Price alongside luminaries like Robert Earl Keen, Nathaniel Rateliff, Shinyribs, and more, the night was recorded and is now getting a release. One Night In Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute To The Red Headed Stranger is out via the Next Waltz, Robison’s own label and recording venture.

This week on My KUTX, Robison joins us again as our guest DJ. He plays songs from the One Night In Texas concert, talks about how it all came together, and includes some of his favorite lesser-known Willie favorites. This Willie Weekend, hear Bruce Robison’s Willie-themed My KUTX on Saturday, April 29 at 6 p.m. or listen anytime here.

When Willie Nelson has a birthday, it’s always cause for celebration.

As the revered singer-songwriter marks his 90th birthday this week, homegrown Texas record label and recording studio The Next Waltz has released One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to the Red Headed Stranger, a collection of songs recorded by Nelson’s friends and admirers at a Luck Ranch Celebration concert last year celebrating his 89th.

During the one night in question — May 1, 2022 — Nelson was the guest of honor (as well as a performer) as artists like Robert Earl Keen, Margo Price, Steve Earle, Nathaniel Rateliff, and many more covered songs from his vast catalog.

It was all headed up by Texas singer-songwriter Bruce Robison, who also happens to be The Next Waltz founder and head honcho.

Bruce Robison has spent the last seven years in a bunker. Well, not just any old bunker — the Bunker, his analog-centric recording studio in Lockhart, Texas, just south of Austin. That’s where Robison conceived and continues to perfect the Next Waltz, a project equal parts record label, think tank and musical playhouse.

The artist behind songs like “Travelin’ Solder” (taken to No. 1 by the Chicks), “Angry All The Time” (a No. 1 for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill), and “Wrapped” (No. 2 for George Strait), Robison knows his way around a song. After all, he recorded the single best song ever written about Willie Nelson — “What Would Willie Do?” from his Country Sunshine album. So it only made sense that the Next Waltz dedicated its purpose to capturing the most organic elements of the most well-crafted songs.

At its core, the Next Waltz is about artists collaborating on, recording and releasing great music. Now with four LPs of songs from some of country and Americana’s best under its belt, the Next Waltz moves on to a truly special task: honoring the music of Nelson.

Recorded live on an outdoor strange in front of 5,000 people, One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger (available April 28) is a sprawling tribute to a global icon and one of Robison’s personal heroes. Featuring artists like Ray Wylie Hubbard, Robert Earl Keen, Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow, Margo Price and more, One Night In Texas is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of album. Which makes the story of how it came together even more unbelievable.

While plenty of musicians grew up singing Willie Nelson’s songs, only a few can claim they grew up singing them alongside Willie himself. His daughter Paula Nelson is one of them. The Texas-born singer and radio DJ has been harmonizing with her father for as long as she can remember, but each time still feels like magic. So when she and producer Bruce Robison began discussing re-recording a couple of Willie’s most beloved songs—with her father opting to join her—she was all in.  

Today, G&G is proud to premiere their version of “Slow Down Old World,” from Willie’s 1973 album, Shotgun Willie. “‘Slow Down Old World’ has always been one of my favorite songs for so many reasons,” Paula says. “The melody is incredibly moving, the lyrics bring out a variety of emotions, and together, they create a song you just can’t get enough of.” 

The founder of the label the Next Waltz, which has worked with the likes of the Turnpike Troubadours, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Shakey Graves, Robison recorded the track at his fully analog Bunker studio on the outskirts of Lockhart, Texas. Behind Paula and Willie’s vocals, Willie’s longtime harmonica player, Mickey Raphael, plus a wistful piano and full strings section work together to broaden the song’s emotional range. 

Now, with 2022 coming to a close and the new year just around the corner, Emerson is releasing his spirited rendition of Willie Nelson’s classic drinking tune “Bloody Mary Morning.” Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the tune. Coming just in time for New Year’s Eve celebrations and the hangovers that many of us will be nursing over a bloody mary the next day, Emerson gives keeps his his version of the tune similar but adds a little more Texas twang to it with lively pedal steel. There is also a smoking barroom energy to the tune that may come from the fact that it was recorded live at Luck, TX on May 1, 2022 with an all-star lineup in honor of Willie Nelson’s 89th Birthday. The song is a single from One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger (The Next Waltz, April 28, 2023), a compilation from the all-star lineup of Texas talent known as The Next Waltz that was produced by Bruce Robison.

The Next Waltz has released a new music video for “Until It Isn’t”, the latest single from singer-songwriter Pat Byrne.

“I think the best way to describe the Next Waltz (is that) Bruce wants to reinvigorate this thing that old records had,” Kamel says. “He built a studio in Lockhart. It's all analog. There's no computers. He's got some really nice vintage gear and some great sound engineers that know how to run it. I think the whole idea is really to create records the way they used to be created, in that you’re mostly playing live and playing together and capturing full performances, being more open to leaving little idiosyncrasies within the takes, if they feel really good.”

Austin-based musician Tony Kamel steps out from behind his Grammy-nominated string band Wood & Wire to present his debut solo album, Back Down Home. Released on September 24 via his producer Bruce Robison’s label The Next Waltz, the 10-track collection captures the serene spirit of life on Texas’ Gulf Coast.

Today we’re delighted to bring you the premiere of the second single from Austin-base singer Tony Kamel for his song “Heat”. The track is off Kamel’s debut solo album, ‘Back Down Home’, which is set to release on September 24 on The Next Waltz, which is the label of Texas legend Bruce Robison.