Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson Announces The Launch Of Pedernales Records
American musical icon Willie Nelson will announce the formation of Pedernales Records at a press conference this Friday, March16 at 3:30 PM at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin during the annual South By Southwest Music & Media Conference.

Partnering with Nelson in the Austin-based venture are his longtime manager Mark Rothbaum and noted producer James Stroud, whose credits include work with such star acts as Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Neil Diamond, The Neville Brothers, Hank Williams Jr., Nelson and a host of others.

"The label is an extension of Willie's philosophy on music, which is that there are no boundaries," says Stroud. "One of the things that makes him such an icon is that he has always been open to any genre of music that's done well and with passion. So the label will be an extension of that vision and those feelings, which he will now bring to Pedernales Records."

The label will also reflect Nelson's career long commitment to nurturing and supporting new talent, which goes as far back as his financing the first Nashville recordings by his friend and now Country legend Johnny Bush in the 1960s up to, most recently, his strong early support for now superstar rockers Los Lonely Boys.

The first act on Pedernales Records will be the band 40 Points, which features Willie's sons, guitarist and singer Lukas Nelson and drummer Micah Nelson, who will also perform at the press conference. Lukas and Micah Nelson has proven themselves chips off the old Nelson talent block in their performances with their father and with Bob Dylan on the summer 2005 Nelson/Dylan tour.> The group, whose sound is a unique blend of rock, reggae, blues and funk, has also opened shows for Willie Nelson and Family as well as Dylan, Los Lonely Boys, UB40, The Doobie Brothers and Jack Johnson and appeared at such festivals as Willie's annual Fourth of July Picnic.

The debut album by 40 Points includes a guest appearance by the elder Nelson with his sons and is produced by Stroud, and will be released this summer.

Their performances have already earned Lukas and Micah Nelson media note and critical acclaim, including a recent interview with Lukas in Rolling Stone.

Nelson will record for the label following his commercially and creatively successful association with Lost Highway Records, during which time he has enjoyed one of the most prolific, varied and collaborative runs in an already prolific, varied and collaborative career that has made him one of the most respected and beloved talents in popular music.

His latest release, out March 20, is Last of the Breed, a two-disc album with Merle Haggard and Ray Price, with whom he will be touring from March 9 to March 25, backed by Asleep at the Wheel.