Bruce Robison has spent the last seven years in a bunker. Well, not just any old bunker — the Bunker, his analog-centric recording studio in Lockhart, Texas, just south of Austin. That’s where Robison conceived and continues to perfect the Next Waltz, a project equal parts record label, think tank and musical playhouse.
The artist behind songs like “Travelin’ Solder” (taken to No. 1 by the Chicks), “Angry All The Time” (a No. 1 for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill), and “Wrapped” (No. 2 for George Strait), Robison knows his way around a song. After all, he recorded the single best song ever written about Willie Nelson — “What Would Willie Do?” from his Country Sunshine album. So it only made sense that the Next Waltz dedicated its purpose to capturing the most organic elements of the most well-crafted songs.
At its core, the Next Waltz is about artists collaborating on, recording and releasing great music. Now with four LPs of songs from some of country and Americana’s best under its belt, the Next Waltz moves on to a truly special task: honoring the music of Nelson.
Recorded live on an outdoor strange in front of 5,000 people, One Night in Texas: The Next Waltz’s Tribute to The Red Headed Stranger (available April 28) is a sprawling tribute to a global icon and one of Robison’s personal heroes. Featuring artists like Ray Wylie Hubbard, Robert Earl Keen, Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow, Margo Price and more, One Night In Texas is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of album. Which makes the story of how it came together even more unbelievable.