I received my advance copy of  Dale Watson & His Lonestars new album from Ellen Stanley at Red House Records just in time to debut it last night's show.

A new album by Dale Watson is an event. Since his Hightone debut  with Cheatin' Heart Attack Dale Watson has set the benchmark for modern honky tonk.

I still get  a thrill every time I hear the opening bars of the title track and remember how blown away I was on first hearing the "punk Merle Haggard" one Saturday morning at Yesterday & Today Records back in 1995.

Dale's newie El Rancho Azul , his 21st album and his second on Red 

House records, was recorded at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in Austin.

He is backed by  His Lonestars, his crack touring band.

Check El Rancho Azul out at www.dalewatson.com or www.redhouserecords.com.

It's only January but we have already found a contender for the best album of 2113.

I hope we get to see Dale & His Lonestars back in Australia this year to support El Ranch Azul.

When he was last here in 2011 his poor treatment by Tiger Airways inspired a song and video which went viral on YouTube: 

 www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZURPjR9_JE