While undergoing chemotherapy treatments for stage 3b colon cancer, singer-songwriter Joshua Ray Walker transported himself to a place drenched in warm sunlight and scented with the salty air of ocean breezes. That relaxing dreamscape became the setting for the songs that make up Tropicana, the Dallas native’s new album out June 13.
“I was at home for a year, without the ability to play shows or even take a vacation,” Walker shares in a statement. “Since I couldn’t leave town and go see a palm tree in real life, I started writing about them.”
The 10-track project will welcome listeners to The Tropicana, a fictional beachside hotel that serves as the record’s thematic anchor. Its specific location is never defined, an intentional move by the songsmith allowing the songs to become the soundtrack to anywhere you might be soaking up the summer sun.
“It’s the sort of place where you can order a piña colada at the pool bar and go wander down a nondescript beach,” explains Walker, describing the mythical locale he hand-crafted. “I couldn’t go to the beach, so I decided to bring the beach to me.”
Fans will get a few chances to hear tracks from Walker’s surprise project, sonically inspired by nostalgic 90’s country and classic Jimmy Buffet cuts, this summer. His Tropicana Tour, also announced today (June 2), will begin August 14 in Little Rock and will stop in five additional cities, including Nashville, Cleveland, and Indianapolis.
A complete list of tour dates, including his previously announced U.S. shows and festival appearances, can be found below. Additional information on the tour and ticketing options is available by visiting Joshua Ray Walker’s official website.
Joshua Ray Walker’s 2025 Tour Dates:
June 12 – Houston, Texas @ The Armadillo Palace
June 13 – San Antonio, Texas @ The Lonesome Rose
June 14 – Austin, Texas @ Sagebrush
June 24 – Los Angeles, Calif. @ The Desert 5 Spot
June 27 – Queens, N.Y. @ Gottscheer Hall
Aug. 14 – Little Rock, Ark. @ Revolution! Music Room
Aug. 15 – Memphis, Tenn. @ Hernando’s Hideaway
Aug. 16 – Indianapolis, Ind. @ Duke’s Indy
Aug. 17 – Ferndale, Mich. @ The Loving Touch
Aug. 19 – Cleveland, Ohio @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Aug. 21 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Skinny Dennis
Aug. 24 – North Charleston, S.C. @ Marcus King Band Family Reunion
Tropicana Track List:
- “Tropicana”
- “Keys to the Tacoma”
- “Laguna”
- “Dance With Who You Came With”
- “I Don’t Wanna Be Alone”
- “Heavy Stones”
- “Dirty Laundry”
- “Whiskey to My Heart”
- “Novella”
- “I Hope I Have Fun Dying”
