Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan Curate Covers Compilation ‘The Willow And The Dogwood Grow’

Tom Waits and his longtime co-writer and wife Kathleen Brennan have curated a new compilation of cover versions of their songs. Titled ‘The Willow And The Dogwood Grow’, the collection gathers notable interpretations from across their catalog.

The tracklist includes Bruce Springsteen’s rendition of “Jersey Girl”, Willie Nelson’s take on “Picture in a Frame”, and Johnny Cash’s version of “Down There by the Train”. Other featured artists include the Ramones, Solomon Burke, and Scarlett Johansson. The compilation serves as a rare official acknowledgment of the breadth of their songwriting’s influence, moving beyond Waits’s own iconic performances.

The project highlights the distinct creative partnership between Waits and Brennan, who has been a central collaborator on his work since the early 1980s. By focusing solely on covers, the compilation frames their songs as standalone pieces adaptable across genres, from country and folk to punk and soul.