CMT News

Willie Nelson accepted the Maverick Award from the Maui Film Festival on Friday (June 19). Nelson appears in a new film about solutions to global problems, One Piece at a Time, which had its world premiere at the festival. According to a press release, Nelson was honored for "having the courage of his convictions, a willingness to speak his mind and the backbone to withstand the heat from those who take issue with his vigorous expression of our collective constitutional right to the freedom of artistic and political expression." In related news, Nelson will release a new album, American Classic, on June 23. Norah Jones and Diana Krall will also appear on the album, which features Nelson's versions of standards such as "Fly Me to the Moon," "The Nearness of You" and "Since I Don't Have You."