Over the past 30 years, Steve Perry has resisted practically all efforts to perform Journey classics onstage, whether as part of a solo tour or a reunion with the band. But on very select occasions, he has been willing to revisit the Journey catalog in the studio alongside a Mount Rushmore figure from the world of country music. It started in 2023 when he cut “Open Arms” with Dolly Parton, and now continues with a new version of Journey’s 1983 power ballad “Faithfully” that he recorded with Willie Nelson to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Farm Aid.
“No one has a voice or vocal phrasing anything like Willie Nelson,” Perry says in a statement. “Singing this duet with Willie has been something I’ve always wanted to do. After recording ‘Faithfully’ with Journey, I always felt it would be a great song for Willie too. What a wonderful experience it was to finally sing with Willie. I’m so proud of what we have accomplished together.”
Nelson echoes the sentiment in a statement of his own. “Working with Steve Perry on ‘Faithfully’ was a meaningful experience,” he said. “It was a pleasure to collaborate on this song. I’m proud that we could create something meaningful and use it to give back through Farm Aid.”
The duet was created virtually, with Nelson singing his parts at Ronnie’s Place studio in Nashville, and Perry recording his parts at his own studio, Rock the Box. It features Mike Rojas on piano, James Mitchell on electric guitar, Kent Wells on acoustic guitar, Scott Sanders on steel guitar, Steve Mackey on bass, Nelson’s longtime sideman Mickey Raphael on harmonica, and Nir Z on drums. (Patrick Atkins created an animated video for the song.)
Perry hasn’t toured since a 1995 solo outing. His only public performances since that tour took place in 2014 when he joined the band Eels during their encore set at three shows, singing Journey classics “Open Arms,” “Lights,” and “Lovin’ Touching’ Squeezin’.”
Four years later, he released his comeback solo alum Traces. And in 2021, he dropped the Christmas LP The Season. But he didn’t promote the records with live performances of any sort. In 2024, he told Rolling Stone that he signed to a new label, and was at least thinking about getting back onstage.
“It’s something that I’m absolutely missing terribly,” he said. “I can’t even tell you how much, but there’s been a big soulful reclaiming of this original feeling that I had about singing that I needed to get back to. I didn’t want to go out and just turn the wheel or turn the crank.”
But if that never happens, we at least have the chance to hear him revisit “Faithfully” in decades: This new duet with Nelson is the first time he’s sang it in 30 years.
