| Last of the Breed | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ray Price |
| Cover: | Last of the Breed album cover.jpg |
| Released: | March 20, 2007 |
| Genre: | Country, Western swing |
| Label: | Lost Highway |
| Producer: | Fred Foster |
| Chronology: | Willie Nelson |
| Prev Title: | Songbird |
| Prev Year: | 2006 |
| Next Title: | It's Magic |
| Next Year: | 2007 |
Last of the Breed is a two-disc album by American country music artists Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Ray Price, released in 2007. It debuted at number 64 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling about 13,000 copies in its first week.[1] The album has 100,000 copies in the U.S. as of May 2015.[2] The album was ranked number 33 on Rolling Stones list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.[3]
Mark Demming of Allmusic wrote "...at its best Last of the Breed really sounds the way these things did in the old days, and Nelson, Haggard, and Price achieve something more than nostalgia—they offer a stirring reminder of the strength of this music when country music spoke to something deeper than just a marketing demographic." In his review, music critic Robert Christgau wrote "Not much kidding around here—they're feeling their varying ages. But they ain't dead yet." Steven Deusner writes of the style, "...most of these songs sound like the trio are trying to re-create a style long past rather anchor these songs in the here and now. That retrospective orientation is strange because none of these artists could be accused of being stuck in the past; in fact, their willingness to adapt to new styles without compromising their standards is partly what makes them the last of their breed. So it's a shame Last of the Breed isn't better—not only do they have a lot to say about these old songs, they also have a lot to say through them." While Jonathan Keefe of Slant takes issue with the title, he praises the album, calling it "a collection that's nearly flawless in its execution."
| Chart (2007) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 7 | |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 64 |
Willie Nelson and Ray Price won a Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for the song "Lost Highway."[4]