Few recording artists have ever pursued a musical course as dizzyingly varied as that of Willie Nelson, and even fewer have continued their adventurous ways well into their 70s. During the last decade Willie has made mainstream country albums (The Great Divide, Moment of Forever), duets albums, a reggae album (Countryman) and much more, each new offering a bigger surprise than the last. This 17-track compilation, filled with intriguing collaborations and good humor, sums up that period about as well as possible.

Lost Highway illuminates first and foremost Willie’s lack of ego—some of the best moments here are those in which he either shares the spotlight with others or pays tribute to his favorites, such as the two songs from You Don’t Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker. The tunes that put Willie himself at center stage tend to be tongue-in-cheek numbers like “Superman” and “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other” (both seeing their first CD release here). Whether alone or with his many traveling companions, may he never stop adventuring.