Decades into his musical career, founding former member of Old Crow Medicine Show, Willie Watson, has shared plans for his debut solo album, arriving September 13 via Little Operation Records and More (Thirty Tigers).
"After 30 years of playing music professionally — this is my debut album," Watson shared in a release. "This record is me beating the devil, or the story of what finally did it anyway. I didn't make any specific pact or anything but I know we've been tangled up most of my life. Now that he's gone I can love myself again."
The self-titled effort is previewed today by lead single "Real Love," which Watson says he wrote for his wife, Mindy. The song comes with a music video by Joseph Wasilewski that sees the couple slow dancing through significant places in their relationship.
"It kinda turned out to be the story of my life and it's clear now that she's standing in the center of everything," he said of the song. "We've been looking for each other for a long time and now we can't even remember all the struggle it took to get here."
Later this month, Watson will embark on a North American tour that will keep him busy until mid-December. The lengthy trek includes two Canadian dates: August 23 at Victoria's Orillia Street Music Hall and November 9 at Vancouver's Biltmore. Most tickets go on sale this Friday, June 21, at 10 a.m. local time.
Listen to "Real Love" below, where you can also find Watson's tour itinerary.
Willie Watson 2024 Tour Dates:
06/28–29 Etna, CA - The Trails End Music Festival
07/18 Exeter, NH - The Word Barn
07/19 Portland, ME - State Theater *
07/20 Trumansberg, NY - Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival
07/23 Saratoga Springs, NY - Caffe Lena
07/25 Burlington, VT - Nectar's
07/26 Hiram, ME - Ossipee Valley Music Festival
08/22 Salt Spring Island, BC - Pitchfork Social
08/23 Victoria, BC - The Orillia Street Music Hall
09/21 Lyons, CO - Planet Bluegrass
09/25 Knoxville, TN - Bijou Theater
09/28 Lexington, KY - The Burl
09/29 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
10/01 Indianapolis, IN - HI-Fi Annex
10/02 Evanston, IL - SPACE
10/04 Stoughton, WI - Stoughton Opera House
10/05 Green Lake, WI - Thrasher Opera House
10/06 Minneapolis, MN - Dakota
10/30 Los Angeles, CA - Pico Union Project
11/01 Felton, CA - Felton Music Hall
11/02 Petaluma, CA - Mystic Theater & Music Hall
11/03 Berkeley, CA - Freight & Salvage
11/06 Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
11/07 Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo
11/08 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
11/09 Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
11/11 Missoula, MT - Top Hat Lounge
11/12 Bozeman, MT - The Rialto
11/15 Fort Collins, CO - The Coast
11/16 Denver, CO - Globe Hall
11/19 Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads
11/20 St Louis, MO - The Pageant *
11/21 Des Moines, IA - Val Air Ballroom West *
11/22 Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater *
11/23 Iowa City, IA - Hancher Auditorium *
12/03 Nashville, TN - Basement East
12/04 Asheville, NC - The Grey Eagle Music Hall
12/06 Washington DC - Union Stage
12/07 Charlottesville, Va - The Southern
12/08 Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
12/10 Boston, MA - The Sinclair
12/12 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
12/13 Woodstock, NY - Levon Helm Studios
12/14 Ithaca, NY - Hangar Theatre
* supporting Old Crow Medicine Show