The Wind is the twelfth and final studio album by American singer-songwriter Warren Zevon. The album was released on August 26, 2003, by Artemis Records. Zevon began recording the album shortly after he was diagnosed with inoperable pleural mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lung), and it was released just two weeks before his death on September 7, 2003. The album was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album, and "Disorder in the House", performed by Zevon with Bruce Springsteen, won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance (Group or Duo). Songs from the album were nominated for an additional three Grammys.
Recording and release
Following My Ride's Here Zevon had begun working on new music, writing "Dirty Life and Times" and "She's Too Good for Me" prior to his cancer diagnosis, and having begun to incorporate "Dirty Life and Times" into his live set. Around the time he would perform what would become his final live show at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival on August 9, 2002. Zevon was found sick and short of breath by his tour managers and encouraged to see a doctor. Zevon was diagnosed with cancer on the 28th of that month.
Upon learning of his cancer diagnosis, Zevon became determined to record a final studio album. For this, Zevon entrusted his long time friend Jorge Calderón to help produce and write the album with him, and ensure it would be seen to completion.
Calderón often struggled with Zevon during the recording process, as his terminal diagnosis had caused Zevon to relapse into alcoholism and suffer regular bouts of depression, causing him to sometimes disappear for several days at a time. Zevon would express guilt over his relapse into drinking, including in conversations with his ex-wife Crystal who reminded Zevon's of his family's support as he was working on the album and confronting his mortality. A film crew from VH1 would produce a documentary on the album, which aired posthumously as (Inside) Out - Warren Zevon: Keep Me In Your Heart.
Calderón viewed the album's creation as giving Zevon a purpose to live for and encouraged Zevon to continue working on the album, while Zevon would also note his desire to complete the album and live long enough to see his grandchildren born (along with living to see the release of Die Another Day).
Track listing
All tracks written by Jorge Calderón and Warren Zevon, except where indicated.
Personnel
Adapted credits from the liner notes of The Wind.
;"Dirty Life and Times"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and acoustic guitar
- Ry Cooder – guitar
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar
- Don Henley – drums
- Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
- Dwight Yoakam – backing vocals
;"Disorder in the House"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, acoustic guitar and percussion
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Bruce Springsteen – electric guitar and backing vocals
;"Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – backing vocals, bass
- Brad Davis – electric guitar and backing vocals
- Steve Gorman – drums
- Randy Mitchell – slide guitar and backing vocals
- Tommy Shaw – 12-string acoustic guitar and backing vocals
- Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
- John Waite – backing vocals
;"Numb as a Statue"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and piano
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar, maracas and backing vocals
- Jim Keltner – drums
- David Lindley – lap steel guitar
;"She's Too Good for Me"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and acoustic guitar
- Jorge Calderon – bass guitar
- Luis Conte – drums and percussion
- Don Henley – backing vocals
- Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals
;"Prison Grove"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Ry Cooder – slide guitar
- David Lindley – electric saz and backing vocals
- Jorge Calderon – electric guitar and backing vocals
- Reggie Hamilton – upright bass
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Jordan Zevon – backing vocals
- Bruce Springsteen – backing vocals
- Jackson Browne – backing vocals
- Billy Bob Thornton – backing vocals
- T Bone Burnett – backing vocals
;"El Amor de Mi Vida"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – Spanish-language vocals
- Luis Conte – bongos
- Reggie Hamilton – upright bass
- Jim Keltner – drums
- James Raymond – piano
;"The Rest of the Night"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and electric guitar
- Mike Campbell – electric guitar
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar and electric guitar
- Luis Conte – drums and percussion
- Tom Petty – backing vocals
;"Please Stay"
- Warren Zevon – vocals and keyboard
- Gil Bernal – saxophone
- Jorge Calderón – bass guitar
- Luis Conte – drums and percussion
- Emmylou Harris – backing vocals
;"Rub Me Raw"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – electric guitar and bass guitar
- Jim Keltner – drums
- Joe Walsh – slide guitar
;"Keep Me in Your Heart"
- Warren Zevon – vocals
- Jorge Calderón – acoustic guitar, bass guitar and tres
- Jim Keltner – drums
;Technical personnel
- Bridgette Barr – executive Record producer
- Hugh Brown – art direction
- Jorge Calderón – production
- Steve Churchyard – engineering
- Greg Hayes – engineering
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- James Mitchell – engineering
- Matthew Rolston – cover photo
- Noah Scot Snyder – engineering, mixing, production
- Joe West – engineering
- Jordan Zevon – executive production
- Warren Zevon – production
Chart performance
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Chart
! Position
|-
| 2003
| US Top Internet Albums
| style="text-align:center;"|12
|-
| 2003
| US Billboard 200
| style="text-align:center;"|12
|-
| 2003
| US Top Independent Albums
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|}
Awards
Grammy Awards
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Winner
!Category
|-
|2004
|align="left"|"Disorder in the House"
|align="left"|Best Rock Vocal Performance – Duo or Group
|-
|2004
|align="left"|The Wind
|align="left"|Best Contemporary Folk Album Eddie Vedder performed the song for David Letterman's award ceremony in 2017 for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, with Vedder noting Letterman's role in introducing him to Zevon's music. Nelson's cover was noted by American Songwriter for capturing a similar view on mortality as Zevon's original performance, with Nelson's guitarwork with Trigger sounding similarly aged and "beat up."