Wayward

Waylon Payne returns in fine form with Wayward, out via Big Loud Texas. This 13-song set was produced by Frank Liddell and Eric Masse, with half of the collection notably written solo by Payne.

A sharp, deeply felt record, Wayward leans into the vulnerable, honest songwriting that has long defined Waylon Payne. There’s wisdom in every turn, delivered with the lyrical clarity and lived-in voice that make his work hit so hard.

It follows the acclaimed The Drifter (2003) and Blue Eyes, The Harlot, The Queer, The Pusher and Me (2020), and feels like a powerful new chapter from an outlaw poet still writing at the top of his game.