The Waymore's Story
Somewhere between old country records, too many miles on the road, and a marriage that’s given them plenty to write about, you’ll find The Waymores.
Kira Annalise and Willie Heath Neal are a husband-and-wife country duo out of Atlanta, GA who have spent the better part of the last decade making music together and taking it on the road. Their sound comes from the country music they loved long before they ever started playing together, shaped by years of writing, touring and building a life alongside one another.
Since hitting the road as The Waymores in 2018, Kira and Willie have toured throughout the U.S., U.K. and Europe, sharing bills with Dale Watson, Kelley Willis, Asleep at the Wheel, Ben Haggard, Wayne Hancock and Scott H. Biram. They’ve played legendary rooms including Gruene Hall, The Longhorn Ballroom and The Continental Club, building a devoted following along the way. Their live shows have become as much about the connection between Kira and Willie as the songs themselves, with the stories and humor between songs giving audiences a pretty honest look at the two people making the music.
Their third studio album, Greener Pastures, was released in 2023 and produced by legendary producer Shel Talmy, whose credits include The Kinks, The Who and David Bowie. Singles from the record reached the Top 10 of the Alt-Country Specialty Chart alongside artists including Tyler Childers, Colter Wall and Lucinda Williams.
On February 13, 2026, The Waymores released their fourth studio album, The Knot. Recorded in Nashville with producer Mose Wilson, known for his work with Hannah Juanita, Eliza Thorn and Sweet Megg, the record grew directly out of the life Kira and Willie have built together. It looks at marriage without trying to romanticize every part of it, and finds plenty worth laughing about along the way. Musically, The Knot leans further into the traditional country sound at the heart of The Waymores while still sounding unmistakably like a record made now.
Rolling Stone praised The Knot, saying the album is “tailor-made for the ballroom and evokes the chemistry of Johnny Cash and June Carter.” No Depression wrote, “With The Knot, The Waymores double down on their allegiance to the sounds and themes of the golden age in Nashville.”
The Waymores aren’t particularly interested in chasing whatever country music is supposed to sound like this year. They’re more interested in making records they believe in and continuing to take those songs on the road. After years of doing exactly that, they’ve built something that feels entirely their own.
