Singer-songwriter, poet, actor, and multi-instrumentalist Willie Watson has just released a new single called “Slim and The Devil.” It is a witty track reconstructing a poem by Sterling A. Brown, titled “Slim Greer in Hell,” which narrates the tale of a Faustian bargain with St. Peter for one last earthly adventure. It looks back on what futile deals we make in life against the awaiting inevitable.
“Slim and The Devil” precedes the very first solo album of original material from Watson, due out over 20 years into his career. That album, titled Willie Watson, will be out September 13 via Little Operation Records and More (Thirty Tigers). Watson, a former founding member of Old Crow Medicine Show, has been involved in numerous musical projects, soundtracks, and films, but this solo endeavor marks a significant milestone in this journey.
Willie Watson ‘Slim and The Devil’
Watson shared his reflection on the song’s inspiration: “I was disgusted by the imagery of white nationalists taking over the streets of Charlottesville. I pulled a book of poems off the shelf called ‘The Black Poets,’ and the first page I opened was Sterling Brown’s poem ‘Slim Greer In Hell.’ The story is second to the honor aimed at the poet himself because history has told me that all the people in his position have been robbed by white folk artists and completely cast aside.”
Long an artist of choice for everyone from Gillian Welch and David Rawlings to John Prine and John C. Reilly, Watson’s spent a lifetime battling self-doubt. Now he’s ready to share his work with the world.
“After 30 years of playing music professionally, this is my debut album. 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,” says Watson of the record.
Stream the new single “Slim And The Devil” here.
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