LISTEN TO THE TITLE TRACK ‘AIN’T DEAD YET’ HERE
Set to Tour Across the UK and Europe This July
Joshua Ray Walker started writing the title track of his new album Ain’t Dead Yet when he thought he was dying of cancer. He finished after he knew that he would survive. The song is the centerpiece of Ain’t Dead Yet, out now via East Dallas Records/Thirty Tigers, and a poignant ode to resilience and staring mortality squarely in the face. Stream/download here.
“‘Ain’t Dead Yet’ is the album I never knew I’d finish,” says Walker. “Three attempts, three years, a death sentence, a miracle, and a massive shift in perspective. This album documents it all, and I’m extremely grateful that I’m alive to see it released into the world. The credits could have read ‘in memory of..’ but I ain’t dead yet.”
Walker’s made a name for himself with poignant, human portraits of flawed, fascinating characters. Now, on Ain’t Dead Yet, Walker’s telling a more personal story – his own. Beneath the album’s flippant title resides some of Walker’s heaviest storytelling yet. Three years ago, when he started writing Ain’t Dead Yet, Walker hadn’t yet received the cancer diagnosis that rearranged and threatened his life (he currently has a clean bill of health). But that year was still uncommonly fraught with mental, physical, and career stresses. Pulling the songs out of the can to finalise them for the album – including re-writing and re-working almost all the songs – Walker, who was then undergoing and recovering from cancer treatment, was surprised by their prescience.
Alongside the album, Walker has made a documentary about his cancer journey, Thank You For Listening, which screens at Raindance Film Festival in London on 19 and 20 June. The documentary sees Walker preparing to return to the Grande Ole Opry after his diagnosis, confronting mortality and what remains when the music ends. The film is an intimate portrait of an artist fighting to live.
Coming out the other side of a fight with cancer offered Walker a second chance. But the angst inherent to facing death and the requisite perspective on the past figure thematically across the album. Ain’t Dead Yet is equal parts defiant and bittersweet, a reflection on Walker’s last few years and a time capsule.
Walker has also been creating a different kind of time capsule with his 400days.to.400lbs Instagram account. What started as a spur of the moment personal accountability page of Walker’s weight loss journey has become a major new way for people to connect with him. The account has over 472,000 followers. Much like Ain’t Dead Yet, the 400days.to.400lbs account documents Walker’s healing and desire to stay in the fight.
Walker is touring extensively in support of the album, with U.S., European and UK dates.
Joshua Ray Walker – 2026 EU/UK Tour Dates
June 30 – Kulttuuritehdas Korjaamo – Helsinki, FI
July 1 – GLive Lab – Tampere, FI
Jul 3 – Byscenen – Trondheim, NO
Jul 5 – Blårock Cafe – Tromso, NO
Jul 8 – Wiese – Lillehammer – NO
Jul 10 – Norsk Country-Treff – Breim, NO
Jul 12 – Ole Bull Scene – Bergen, NO
Jul 14 – Tou Scene – Stavanger, NO
Jul 17 – John Dee – Oslo, NO
Jul 18 – Pustervik – Gothenburg, SE
Jul 21 – Debaser – Stockholm, SE
Jul 22 – Garage Bar – Hoganas, SE
July 23 – Bilhardkompaniet – Kristianstad, SE
Jul 24 – Mojo – Copenhagen, DK (Early + Late Show)
Jul 26 – Freideck Kantine – Cologne, DE
Jul 28 – The Lower Third – London, ENG
Jul 29 – The Deaf Institute – Manchester, ENG
Jul 30 – The Hug and Pint – Glasgow, SCO
Aug 1 – Whelan’s – Dublin, IE
FULL DETAILS OF ALL UK TOUR DATES ARE ON THE COUNTRY LOWDOWN GIG GUIDE
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