John Anderson’s final studio album began at a time when the country music legend wasn’t even sure another album was possible. After a serious illness left John Anderson struggling with hearing loss, the familiar voice behind “Swingin'” and “Seminole Wind” faced an uncertain future.
What happened next was something nobody had originally planned. A Nashville songwriting session in June 2018 produced a song about the passing of time. That song, written in approximately 90 minutes, eventually gave its name to John Anderson’s final studio album, Years.
When John Anderson passed away on October 21, 2026, at the age of 71, the story behind that recording took on an even deeper meaning.
When John Anderson Wasn’t Sure Another Record Was Possible
During 2017 and much of 2018, John Anderson dealt with a serious illness that interrupted recording and performing. The illness affected John Anderson’s hearing so severely that returning to the stage seemed uncertain.
For an artist who had spent decades making records and entertaining audiences, the possibility of no longer being able to sing was difficult to contemplate.
In a 2024 interview with Pollstar, John Anderson recalled wondering whether singing would ever be possible again. Songwriting, however, remained something John Anderson hoped to pursue.
That possibility became important when Dan Auerbach, best known as a member of The Black Keys, reached out through a mutual acquaintance. Dan Auerbach was producing music for other artists and wanted to explore writing songs with John Anderson.
The invitation was not initially about making a John Anderson album. The idea was simply to write good songs that other performers might record.
The Song That Took About 90 Minutes to Write
In June 2018, John Anderson arrived at Dan Auerbach’s Nashville studio to work with Dan Auerbach, producer David Ferguson, and songwriter Pat McLaughlin.
The first song that emerged from the session was “Years.”
According to John Anderson’s later account, Pat McLaughlin brought the original idea. The four songwriters completed “Years” in approximately an hour and a half before moving directly into another composition.
That first day proved productive. John Anderson recalled writing three or four songs, and the collaboration continued through additional sessions.
John Anderson recognized the quality of “Years” immediately. In a 2020 interview with Taste of Country, John Anderson remembered calling Dan Auerbach that evening to express enthusiasm about the song.
Still, making an entire album remained an unexpected possibility.
Two Producers Believed John Anderson Could Still Sing
After several days of writing, Dan Auerbach approached John Anderson about recording an album. John Anderson was hesitant, particularly because recovery was still underway.
But Dan Auerbach and David Ferguson had heard enough during the songwriting sessions to believe John Anderson could return to the recording studio.
The encouragement mattered. John Anderson eventually agreed, approaching the project with the determination to make every performance count.
The writing sessions produced roughly 15 to 20 songs, from which 10 were selected for the album. Dan Auerbach and David Ferguson handled production, allowing John Anderson to concentrate on singing.
The finished record included “I’m Still Hangin’ On,” “Celebrate,” and “Tuesday I’ll Be Gone,” a duet with Blake Shelton. In 2019, Blake Shelton also welcomed John Anderson onto the Friends and Heroes Tour, helping John Anderson return to live performances.
A Final Studio Album That Became Part of John Anderson’s Legacy
Years was released on April 10, 2020, through Easy Eye Sound. The album presented John Anderson’s unmistakable country voice alongside songs about gratitude, perseverance, aging, and the passage of time.
John Anderson continued performing in the years that followed and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024, recognition of a career that had already given country audiences decades of memorable recordings.
On October 21, 2026, John Anderson died at 71. Years remained the final studio album released during John Anderson’s lifetime.
There is no evidence that John Anderson originally intended “Years” to serve as a farewell. In 2018, it was simply the first song written during an unexpected collaboration. Yet the circumstances surrounding the album give the recording a special place in John Anderson’s story.
John Anderson entered that Nashville writing room uncertain whether another record was possible. The first song completed that day became the title of the last studio album of an extraordinary career.
For listeners returning to “Years” today, the song offers something deeply familiar: a reminder of how quickly time passes, delivered by one of country music’s most recognizable voices.