Photo Credit: Fletcher Moore

Today, Southern rock troubadours Little Feat have announced The Last Farewell Tour, a title that draws on 1975’s The Last Record Album and the group’s historic decision to begin the process of retirement. Original member Bill Payne spoke about the imminent change and the group’s intention to settle down in an interview with Rolling Stone and an official statement. They also shared a new single, “Feathers and a Smile,” a previously unreleased track written by the late co-founder, Lowell George, and featuring his daughter, Inara. 

In the interview with RS, Payne says: “Everybody and their brother is retiring now. But I’ll be honest, I resisted it at first. I’ll be 77 in March, and [guitarist] Fred Tackett is 80 and [bassist] Kenny [Gradney] will be 76 next year. But what’s the rush on farewelling this thing?”

“It’s not an immediate cutoff,” he continues, while alluding to the fact that a global tour would likely take several years to complete, “When I really thought about it, if you play a venue, you just knock it off your list and don’t have to jump on a bus and go places every night, which is probably not a bad thing. And you can do residences, if they’re available, or play music with other people, or do special events.”

Their complete statement reads:

Playing is the joy and satisfaction of touring, but it comes with the hard part — travel, the endless miles on a bus.  There’s no dodging the wear and tear, and Little Feat has been playing for quite a while.

With tongue stuck somewhat in cheek, Little Feat announces “The Last Farewell Tour,” which will begin in April 2026.

It’s definitely not an absolute, never-gonna-play again statement.  This  wind-down will take several years to accomplish, and while it does, Feat will continue to perform and record as long as they are able.  It’s a retirement from the travel of touring.

Little Feat began in 1969 when Frank Zappa told Lowell George he should start his own band.  As Lowell happened to have a pretty small shoe size, the name became obvious.  He found a partner/keyboard player in Bill Payne and a drummer in Richie Hayward.

After a few transitions, they added Kenny Gradney (bass), Sam Clayton (percussion), Paul Barrere (guitar) and eventually Fred Tackett (guitar), and began a now 56-year journey that has produced dozens of songs – “Dixie Chicken,” “Oh, Atlanta,” “Willin’,” “Fat Man in the Bathtub” – and a thousand memories. One result was one of the best live albums in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, Waiting for Columbus.

The road (see above!) is hard, and it cost them first Lowell George in 1979, Richie Hayward in 2010, and Paul Barrere in 2019.  The everlasting Little Feat groove demanded playing, and they added Scott Sharrard (guitar) and Tony Leone (drums), and may well be playing at the very height of their powers, recently releasing a well-received album of original material, Strike Up the Band.  Their inimitable blend of rock, New Orleans swamp boogie, jazz, and blues is not only unique but an ongoing source of delight.

Feat has an incredible legacy of music and the celebration that comes with it, and the near future will see them honoring their own past with more playing. But it’s time to give the trusty tour bus, however comfy, a rest.

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In tandem with Payne’s discussion with the magazine and their official comment, Little Feat has unveiled a previously unreleased single, written by the band’s late lead, the venerable Lowell George. Titled “Feathers and a Smile,” the song represents an unheard bit that was intended to be a part of the “Crazy Captain Gunboat Willie” suite, included on their self-titled 1971 debut. 

The new arrival highlights the intricacy of Payne’s relationship with the piano, while simultaneously bolstering Lowell’s narrative, distinct knack for storytelling, and propelling scenarios of desire. Paced for passion, the song hovers on an angelic plane with Inara’s capacity to complement Payne’s vocals. The track also features Scott Sharrad on Dobro and Fred Tackett on mandolin. 

Listen to the song below, and view Little Feat’s The Last Farewell Tour dates below. 

For more information, visit www.littlefeat.net/tour.