Buddy Miller Announces First Solo Album in 15 Years, Shares “Don’t Look Back” Featuring Dan Penn

Buddy Miller Announces First Solo Album in 15 Years, Shares “Don’t Look Back” Featuring Dan Penn

Release date: September 11, 2026
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​Fifteen years after his last solo release, Grammy-winning songwriter, producer and Americana legend Buddy Miller is back with a new self-titled album. Buddy Miller will be released on September 11 via New West Records, marking the acclaimed artist’s long-awaited return with an album that celebrates friendship, timeless songwriting and the enduring spirit of American roots music.

Throughout his career, Miller has become one of the most influential figures in Americana, earning widespread respect as a solo artist, producer and sought-after collaborator. For his first solo record in over a decade, he reunites with an exceptional group of musicians who have shared stages and studios with him over the years.

Recorded with a core band featuring Fred Eltringham, Viktor Krauss, Tim Lauer, Steve Fishell and Fats Kaplin, the album weaves together country soul, gospel, early rock ’n’ roll and heartfelt storytelling into a collection that feels both deeply personal and unmistakably Buddy Miller.

Leading the announcement is the album’s first single, “Don’t Look Back,” a soulful duet with legendary songwriter Dan Penn. Originally written by Smokey Robinson and popularized by The Temptations before later becoming a reggae classic through Peter Tosh and Mick Jagger, the song is reimagined here with understated elegance. Rather than echoing previous versions, Miller and Penn strip the track back to its emotional core, delivering a moving interpretation that highlights the timeless strength of the song.

The album also features an impressive cast of guests, including Emmylou Harris, Lee Ann Womack, Shawn Colvin, Jim Lauderdale, Ashley Monroe, Elizabeth Cook, The War & Treaty, and Dan Penn. Their contributions feel less like guest appearances and more like a gathering of longtime friends brought together by a shared love of great songs.
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Adding another deeply personal touch, five tracks were written by Julie Miller, whose songwriting has long been intertwined with Buddy’s career. The album closes with her poignant composition “Masterpiece in the Sand,” providing a fitting and emotional finale to a record that marks both a homecoming and a celebration of one of Americana’s most beloved voices.
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Tracklist:
01. As Long as I Have You
02. You Never Really Get Over It (with Shawn Colvin)
03. Strange Desire (with Jim Lauderdale)
04. Ruby Hang On (with Regina McCrary)
05. Don’t Look Back (with Dan Penn)
06. Not Enough Time to Change
07. Losers’ Celebration
08. Lay Down the Burden of Your Heart (with The War & Treaty)
09. Stop Me (with Lee Ann Womack)
10. Till the Wheels Come Off (with Ashley Monroe and Elizabeth Cook)
11. The Inner Sanctum of God (with Emmylou Harris and Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams)
12. Masterpiece in the Sand
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Website:
buddymiller.com