‘Wake Up America,’ say Willie Nile and Steve Earle in rousing anthem

1

Willie Nile has four children and four grandchildren whose future will be greatly impacted by the current state of our country. And this reality weighs on him. His rousing and resonant anthem “Wake Up America,” first released as a single in 2022 and now, on his new album The Great Yellow Light, reflects his angst for our future and his concern about our country’s direction.

In this raucous, high-energy rock song, Nile asks citizens to elevate their collective conscience in pursuit of equitable, democratic values, and questions who we are as a nation, what we stand for, and what will compel us to take action.

The song — which also features the incomparably gritty voice of Steve Earle — showcases Nile’s big heart, sincerity and…