Willie Nelson

Veteran songwriters prove that it's possible to release poignant and powerful work late in an artist's career.

"Hello Sunshine," the first single from Bruce Springsteen's upcoming album Western Stars, shares the same melancholy space as early '70s ballads by Jimmy Webb and Kris Kristofferson.

The 85-year-old legend canceled a string of shows earlier this year after suffering from the flu. But with his wife and sons in tow, he's come back fiercer than ever.