Dale Watson Announces New Album ‘Unwanted,’ Shares Lead Single

COUNTRY MUSIC ICON DALE WATSON ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM ‘UNWANTED’ ARRIVES APRIL 24TH via 40 BELOW RECORDS

Dale Watson has announced the April 24 release of Unwanted, his latest studio album, due out via 40 Below Records. Pre-orders are available now, alongside the debut of the album’s first single, “Willie Waylon And Whiskey,” which premiered earlier this week.

Pre-order Unwanted: fortybelow.ffm.to/unwanted
Pre-save “Willie Waylon And Whiskey”: fortybelow.ffm.to/willie-waylon-and-whiskey

With Unwanted, Watson delivers another unapologetic statement straight from the heart of American roots music. It’s a lean, hard-hitting blast of honky-tonk, outlaw country, western swing, and rockabilly—the very sound Watson christened Ameripolitan and has championed for more than four decades. Entirely written and produced by Watson himself, the album stands as yet another defiant chapter from one of roots music’s true originals.

Recorded in both Austin and Memphis, Unwanted draws strength from two cities that shaped Watson’s musical identity. “Austin taught me how to swing,” Watson says. “Memphis taught me how to feel.”

Backed by The Lonestars, Watson is joined by Celine Lee, The Memphians, Katie Shore (Asleep at the Wheel), and pianist Matt Hubbard. “Everybody on this record knows how to make the music breathe,” Watson notes. “That’s the difference.”

Tracks like “Willie Waylon And Whiskey” wear their vices proudly. “I don’t apologize for the way I lived,” Watson says. “Those songs kept me company.” On the other end of the emotional spectrum, the reflective ballad “If You Really Love Me (Outlive Me)” grapples with loss and survival. “You don’t get to stay this long without losing people,” he adds. “That song came from sitting with that truth.”

Unwanted follows a catalog of more than 30 albums, dating back to 1995’s Cheatin’ Heart Attack. “That record convinced me to quit fixing motorcycles and bet everything on music,” Watson recalls. “I figured I’d rather fail at something honest.”

That honesty has earned Watson a devoted international following and the respect of his heroes. Over the years, he’s shared stages with Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Price, Loretta Lynn, and Dwight Yoakam—artists who recognized in Watson a kindred spirit and a deep reverence for tradition.

He’s also brought his uncompromising sound to national audiences via appearances on Austin City Limits, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman. Still, Watson remains firmly rooted on the road. “I still play over 300 shows a year,” he says. “That’s where the truth is. That’s where the songs tell you if they’re real.”

Honored as a Texas State Musician and founder of the Ameripolitan Music Awards, Watson sees Unwanted as part of a living, breathing tradition. “Outlaw country isn’t nostalgia,” he says. “It’s alive, it’s loud, and it’s still being written.”

Unwanted Track Listing

More info: dalewatson.com