Bonnie "Prince" Billy is releasing a Merle Haggard covers album

The album is described as "an homage to a long-time and forever hero" by Billy - an artist who, on his live debut a quarter of a century ago, opened with a song of Haggard's.

As well as the record's details, Billy has shared "Mama Tried" and its 360-degree video. Watch now on Vimeo.

"Merle Haggard is a channeler who has paid ample tribute to those that came before him," Billy wrote for Juan and Only in 2012. "He has demonstrated explicitly and implicitly his standing on the shoulders of Tommy Duncan/Bob Wills, Jimmie Rodgers, Floyd Tillman, Lefty Frizzell and many others. There are songs in his catalogue that seep solidly into the headspace of Kentuckians who grew up when I did, and beyond through his vast influence on the George Straits, Dwight Yoakams, Alan Jacksons, John Andersons, Toby Keiths, and too many others. He is not the original, but he may be the most significant junction."

The career-spanning collection doesn't adhere to the hits, although there are a couple, with many of the songs chosen never reaching the charts - these are personal favourites picked by Billy.

Best Troubador follows last year's Pond Scum release.

Tracklist:

1. The Fugitive
2. I'm Always On A Mountain When I Fall
3. The Day the Rains Came
4. Haggard (Like I've Never Been Before)
5. I Always Get Lucky With You
6. Leonard
7. My Old Pal
8. Roses In the Winter
9. Some Of Us Fly
10. Wouldn't That Be Something
11. Pray
12. That's the Way Love Goes
13. Nobody's Darling
14. What I Hate (excerpt)
15. I Am What I Am
16. If I Could Only Fly