Maps of Music

Last Leaf on the Tree (2024)

Where the lyrics of Last Leaf on the Tree take you, and where it was really made.

The album began as a Tom Waits tribute before its scope grew, and its title track is a cover of a Waits song.

Key places

Recorded at Hen House in Venice (2024)

Recording site Hen House — The album is credited as recorded at Hen House in Venice, Los Angeles. The pin marks the building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording credit in Spicewood, Texas (2024)

Recording site Pedernales Studio — Pedernales Recording Studio in Spicewood, Texas is also credited as a recording location. The pin sits at the town centre, not at the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Last Leaf on the Tree: 76th solo studio album by Willie Nelson
• Released 1 November 2024 through Legacy Recordings
• Produced and curated by Micah Nelson
• Contains songs by Beck, Tom Waits, Neil Young and Nina Simone
• New version of Nelson's 1962 song 'The Ghost'
• Original song 'The Color of Sound' cowritten by Willie and Micah Nelson
• Micah Nelson names the album's through-line as 'facing death with grace'
• Nominated for Best Americana Album at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards

Background

• Manager Mark Rothbaum first suggested that Micah Nelson produce an album for his father
• Micah Nelson took the minimalist production of Spirit as the starting point for the sound
• The album was first conceived as a Tom Waits tribute before expanding in scope
• Lead single and title track: cover of Tom Waits's 'Last Leaf' from the 2011 album Bad as Me, released 15 August 2024
• Second single: cover of The Flaming Lips' 'Do You Realize??', from the 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, released 19 September 2024
• Third single: cover of Beck's 'Lost Cause', from the 2002 album Sea Change, released 25 October 2024
• Texas Monthly called it the closest thing to a true Trigger record since 2013's Let's Face the Music and Dance
• Micah Nelson aimed for the iconic guitar Trigger to be the lead character

Recording

• Recording location credited: Hen House, Venice, Los Angeles
• Pedernales Recording Studio in Spicewood, Texas, is also credited as a recording location
• Micah Nelson handled production, mixing and recording
• Mickey Raphael played harmonica on most tracks
• Ends with a hidden track, 'Looking for Trouble'

Cover

• Album art credited to Micah Nelson
• Photos credited to Randi Steinberger

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Willie Hugh Nelson on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas.
• Wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band, Bohemian Polka, as a guitarist at age nine.
• Attended Baylor University for two years before dropping out to pursue music.
• Moved to Nashville in 1960 and joined Ray Price's band as a bassist.

Career

• Songs such as "Crazy" (Patsy Cline), "Funny How Time Slips Away" and "Pretty Paper" became hits for other artists.
• Debut album ...And Then I Wrote was released in 1962; joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1965.
• Helped lead the outlaw country movement after moving to Austin, Texas in 1972.
• Red Headed Stranger (1975) was a critically acclaimed concept album; the single "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" became his first number one hit.
• Co-founded Farm Aid in 1985 with Neil Young and John Mellencamp.
• Acted in over 30 films, including The Electric Horseman (1979).
• Received a Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance for "Ride Me Back Home" (2019).
• Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave the album positive reviews
• Metacritic score: 84 out of 100 from four reviews, which Metacritic labels 'universal acclaim'
• Metacritic normalizes ratings from mainstream critics to a score out of 100
• The Arts Desk (Tim Cumming): found the album 'on a higher level' than Nelson's 'excellent' previous album, The Border
• The Arts Desk praised Nelson's voice and guitar work, the production and the choice of material
• No Depression: Nelson is still doing what he has always done best, interpreting the songs of others and writing his own memorable melodies

Records

• Nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Americana Album at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards
• Lead single 'Last Leaf' released 15 August 2024
• Second single 'Do You Realize??' released 19 September 2024
• Third single 'Lost Cause' released 25 October 2024

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album was first conceived as a Tom Waits tribute before its scope expanded.
• Manager Mark Rothbaum first suggested that Micah Nelson produce an album for his father.
• Micah Nelson described the hidden track 'Looking for Trouble' as 'a very unserious moment.'
• The title track is a cover of Tom Waits's 'Last Leaf' from the 2011 album Bad as Me.
• The second single is a cover of The Flaming Lips' 'Do You Realize??' from their 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.
• The third single is a cover of Beck's 'Lost Cause' from his 2002 album Sea Change.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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