Billy Strings & Willie Nelson Get ‘California Sober’ On Joint New Single

Legendary country musician Willie Nelson will celebrate his 90th birthday this weekend with a pair of all-star concerts in Los Angeles with bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings among the many participants in the celebratory shows. On the eve of Willie’s 90th, he and Strings shared a collaborative new single, “California Sober.”

Posting on social media, Strings expressed his gratitude for getting to record with Nelson, writing:

“I’m so honored to have made this song with Willie Nelson. We’re gearing up to celebrate this living legend’s 90th birthday this weekend in L.A. and he’s still out here kicking ass. What an absolute treasure and inspiration to us all. I can’t really find the right words to describe how much this means to me.

“Like most of us, I grew up exposed to Willie’s music, a little boy hearing my dad sing ‘Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain’ at the request of grandpa Bill sitting there with a cold beer in one hand and one of his lil’ pinner joints in the other with a big smile through the whiskers on his red face. I wish grandpa was still alive. We’d be kicking up a fuss!!

“Willie’s music has helped shape so many of our lives, even if we don’t know it. It’s there. It’s woven into the fabric of our nation. I feel almost patriotic when I think of Willie Nelson. I will cherish this song for the rest of my life. I love you all. And Willie …Thank you.”

Strings participated in Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival last fall. He and the 89-year-old outlaw country icon shared the stage on several occasions and Strings paid tribute to Nelson with a special final setlist that spelled out “Thank You” with the first letter of each song played.

Others joins Strings on the lineup for this weekend’s Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 concerts at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles include Neil Young, Bob Weir, Dave Matthews, Warren Haynes, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Stephen Stills, Snoop Dogg, Margo Price, Sheryl Crow, Sturgill Simpson, The Chicks, The Avett Brothers, Nathaniel Rateliff, Norah Jones and many more.

Watch the video for the Billy Strings and Willie Nelson collaborative new single, “California Sober” below: