November 3, 2025

Hi Gang:

Before I get into some of the exciting things that are happening in Whisperworld this month, let me take a minute to thank each and every one of you who reached out to me on my birthday a couple of days ago.

I don’t know that I’ve ever received more e-mails, text messages, phone calls, cards, letters, and personal greetings than I’ve gotten this year, and I assure you I read and listened to every single one. It’s so special to feel the love and warmth you continue to share with me and, again, I thank you all.

Boy, this really is going to be an exciting month. I guess the highlight for me will be the actual 100th Birthday Celebration at the Grand Ole Opry on Friday night November 28th. We’ve been celebrating Opry100 all year long, but the first Opry show actually went out on the airwaves on November 28, 1925, and we’re planning to honor the occasion with two very special and sold-out shows on that specific night.

I’m going to sing part of my re-written version of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” early in the show, and hopefully get the audience into the spirit of the occasion by encouraging them to sing along with me. There will be at least 25 Opry members on hand that night and I can’t wait! My other Opry appearances this month are scheduled for Nov. 8th and 15th.

Meantime, the 59th annual CMA Awards Show will be presented and televised live on ABC-TV on November 19th, the 2025 BMI Dinner honoring songwriters will take place the night before, and the “Christmas At The Grand Ole Opry” movie that we filmed here back in August will air on the Hallmark Channel November 29th. I hope lots of you will be tuned in, but as I warned earlier, don’t blink or you’ll miss my part!

By now most of you have probably heard that Willie Nelson’s recording of a new song I helped to write has been released, and I’m starting to hear from folks who are telling me how much they like it. It’s called “Christmas Love Song,” and hopefully it will get you and the special people in your life into the spirit of the season. I co-wrote it with Bobby Tomberlin and Marv Green, and you can download it from all the online places where you get your music these days. I’m told there will be a lyric video coming November 18th, and I’ll be anxious to see that!

I’ll be popping up these next few weeks on several podcasts that I’ve recently recorded, and we’ll be posting them on our website and on our Facebook page as they become available. I also “pop up” on the new “Frizzell & Friends” CD that David Frizzell has produced as a tribute to his brother, Lefty. David and I sing, “Saginaw, Michigan,” Lefty’s last #1 record that I helped to write back in the sixties. Hope you’ll be listening out for this as well.

Just as I was about to wrap up this letter, I learned that the new vinyl version of my 2014 album, LIFE, is being released earlier than I thought. I had told you it would be out December 5th, but it’s actually coming November 21st. Be watching our Facebook page and Bill’s Journal for details on how you can obtain a copy. It might just make a nice Christmas gift for the country fans on your list.

As you can tell, I’ve got an awful lot to be thankful for right now, and I’m looking forward to celebrating a big Thanksgiving Day on the 27th. I’ll be home with my family and friends stuffing my face, watching football, and wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours wherever you might be. Thanks for everything, and I’ll see you back here again in December.