Willi Carlisle Releases 'Marlboro Vinyasa,' Sets North American Tour for Sept. 2026

Folk singer and songwriter Willi Carlisle released 'Marlboro Vinyasa,' his latest single from his forthcoming double album The Universal Bubba, out November 6th via Signature Sounds. Produced by Tyler Childers, the 17-track collection finds Carlisle pushing his folk storytelling into stranger, louder and more unexpected territory, with 'Marlboro Vinyasa' serving as one of the album's most irreverent examples.

A smoky, surreal ode to the collision of old-school Americana and the ever-changing small town, 'Marlboro Vinyasa' finds Carlisle poking fun at the cultural shifts taking place around him without losing his affection for the characters caught in the middle. As yoga studios and free-loving newcomers move into town, Carlisle's narrator finds himself reluctantly--and eventually enthusiastically--immersed in the unfamiliar world, swapping bourbon and cigarettes for 'Namaste' and sun salutations while trying to reconcile his old way of life with the new one.

Talking about the inspiration behind the song, Carlisle said, 'There's a great bar in the Quad Cities called the Raccoon Motel. After a few gigs there, I got to talking to somebody who hosts yoga, and said they do their breathing exercises on the sticky floor and do sun salutations facing the Marlboro advertisements.' He added, 'I couldn't get over the irony: yoga breathing exercises and cigarettes. What an American thing, to find the wheel of samsara in a pint glass! All I brought to the table was a little shuffle, sort of something out of Springsteen's 'Nebraska' in its spareness but with a feel from 'The Band,' maybe like the songs 'Jemima Surrender' or 'This Wheel's on Fire.' The band did the rest, took it to space, made it groove.'

Carlisle also announced 'Bubbas In The Community,' an initiative put together by Carlisle that invites mutual aid groups, nonprofits, and unions in different cities to set up a table on his tour to help fundraise, gain recognition, and expand their reach in their respective communities.

Speaking about the importance of bringing attention to these organizations, Carlisle stated, 'In an age of increasing inequality and divisiveness, I want concerts to foster solidarity among working people. Most music, even political music, doesn't do this all that directly. This is one small way to make our social character more important than our social content. I hope our shows become a big tent where people share ideas, inspiration, and work!'

Recorded in secret in the Bywater District of New Orleans, Carlisle cut 17 tracks that expand his sonic scrapbook and capture the off-kilter characters living in his songs. The album was created in an all-time DIY effort, with Childers and his band joining Carlisle for two weeks of recording in New Orleans. Across the record, Carlisle embraces new sounds and instrumentation--including synthesizers, double electric guitars and more fretless 19th-century-style banjo than he has used on any previous album. With plenty of room to stretch across styles, The Universal Bubba continues with songs of great embellishment and somber tales on its latter half.

Carlisle will soon embark on an extensive North American tour in support of the album, beginning in Minneapolis in September and running through mid-December.

The Universal Bubba Tracklist

1. Mason Jar at the Center of the World

2. Gas Station

3. Use Me Up

4. Good Morning, Midnight

5. Marlboro Vinyasa

6. The Master's Hammer

7. Contact High

8. The Universal Bubba

9. The Universal Bubba, Part Two

10. She Only Loves Horses

11. Ditchdigger's Song (Dust and the Devil)

12. Sadly Enormous

13. I Ain't Crazy

14. Red Leather, Yellow Leather

15. Old Milwaukee Onestep

16. Bigger'n Dallas

17. Golden Dragon Buffet

Willi Carlisle 2026 North American Tour Dates

SEP 26 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cedar

SEP 27 - Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon

SEP 28 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark

OCT 1 - Toronto, ON Canada - Longboat Hall

OCT 2 - Buffalo, NY - Mohawk Place

OCT 3 - Lakewood, OH - Mahall's

OCT 4 - Charleston, WV - Mountain Stage

OCT 6 - Lexington, KY - The Burl

OCT 7 - Nashville, TN - The Basement East

OCT 8 - St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway

OCT 9 - Cape Girardeau, MO - Scout Hall

OCT 10 - Kansas City, MO - Knuckleheads

OCT 28 - Indianapolis, IN - Turntable

OCT 29 - Columbus, OH - Skully's Music Diner

NOV 1 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall

NOV 2 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's All Right

NOV 3 - Somerville, MA - Crystal Ballroom

NOV 4 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse

NOV 6 - Portland, ME - First Parish Church

NOV 7 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground

NOV 8 - Kingston, NY - Assembly

NOV 10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird

NOV 12 - Washington, DC - Union Stage

NOV 13 - Durham, NC - Stanczyks

NOV 14 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl

DEC 3 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater

DEC 5 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge

DEC 6 - Boise, ID - Shrine Social

DEC 9 - Vancouver, BC Canada - The Pearl

DEC 10 - Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern

DEC 11 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios

DEC 12 - Trout Lake, WA - Trout Lake Hall

DEC 14 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent

DEC 15 - Felton, CA - Felton Music Hall

DEC 17 - Los Angeles, CA - Sid The Cat Auditorium

DEC 18 - San Diego, CA - Soda Bar

DEC 19 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy + Harriet's

DEC 20 - Phoenix, AZ - Valley Bar

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