Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of theoutlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of theNashville sound. The critical success of his albumShotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success ofRed Headed Stranger (1975) andStardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use ofbiofuels and thelegalization of marijuana.
Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten. During high school, he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player. After graduating from high school in 1950, he joined theU.S. Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems. After his return, Nelson attendedBaylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music. He worked as adisc jockey at radio stations in his native Texas, and at several radio stations in thePacific Northwest, all the while working as a singer and songwriter throughout the late 1950s. During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Hello Walls", "Pretty Paper", and "Crazy". In 1960, he moved toNashville, Tennessee, then signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music that allowed him to joinRay Price's band as a bassist. In 1962, he recorded his first album,...And Then I Wrote. Its success enabled Nelson to sign withRCA Victor in 1964 and join theGrand Ole Opry the following year. After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Nelson grew weary of the corporate Nashville music scene. In 1972, he moved toAustin, Texas, returned to performing, and appeared frequently at theArmadillo World Headquarters.
In 1990, Nelson's assets were seized by theInternal Revenue Service, which claimed that he owed $32million. The difficulty of paying his outstanding debt was aggravated by weak investments he had made during the 1980s. In 1992, Nelson releasedThe IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories?; the profits of the double album—destined to the IRS—and the auction of Nelson's assets cleared his debt. During the 1990s and 2000s, Nelson continued touring extensively and released albums every year. Reviews ranged from positive to mixed. He explored genres such as reggae, blues, jazz, and folk.
Nelson made his first movie appearance in the 1979 filmThe Electric Horseman, followed by other appearances in movies and on television. Nelson is a majorliberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of theNational Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which is in favor of marijuana legalization. On the environmental front, Nelson owns thebiodiesel brandWillie Nelson Biodiesel, whose product is made from vegetable oil. Nelson is also the honorary chairman of the advisory board of the Texas Music Project, the official music charity of the state of Texas.
Early life and education
Nelson as a junior atAbbott High School (top, pictured in 1949). Nelson's high school football portrait, (bottom,c. 1950)
Willie Hugh Nelson was born inAbbott, Texas, on April 29, 1933,[1] to Ira Doyle Nelson and Myrle Marie (née Greenhaw).[2] His birthday was incorrectly recorded by Dr. F. D. Sims as April 30.[1] He was named Willie by his cousin Mildred, who also chose Hugh as his middle name, in honor of her recently deceased younger brother.[1] Nelson traces his genealogy to theAmerican Revolutionary War, in which his ancestor John Nelson served as a major.[3] His parents moved to Texas fromArkansas in 1929 to look for work. His grandfather, William, worked as a blacksmith, while his father worked as a mechanic.[4] His mother left soon after he was born,[5] and his father remarried and also moved away, leaving Nelson and his sisterBobbie to be raised by their grandparents, who taught singing back in Arkansas and started their grandchildren in music.[6][7] Nelson's grandfather bought him a guitar when he was six, and taught him a fewchords,[4] and Nelson sang gospel songs in the local church alongside Bobbie.[8] He wrote his first song at age seven,[9] and when he was nine, he played guitar for local band Bohemian Polka.[10] During the summer, the familypicked cotton alongside other Abbott residents.[11] Nelson disliked picking cotton, so he earned money by singing in dance halls, taverns, andhonky tonks from age 13, which he continued through high school.[12] His musical influences wereJimmie Rodgers,Hank Williams,Bob Wills,Lefty Frizzell,Ray Price,Ernest Tubb,Hank Snow,Django Reinhardt,Frank Sinatra, andLouis Armstrong.[13][14][15]
Nelson attendedAbbott High School, where he was a halfback on thefootball team, guard on thebasketball team, andshortstop inbaseball. He also raisedpigs with theFuture Farmers of America.[2] While still at school, he sang and played guitar in The Texans, a band formed by his sister's husband, Bud Fletcher.[10] The band played inhonky-tonks, and also had a Sunday morning spot atKHBR inHillsboro, Texas. Meanwhile, Nelson had a short stint as a relief phone operator in Abbott, followed by a job as atree trimmer for the local electric company, as well as apawn shop employee.[16] After leaving school in 1950, he joined theU.S. Air Force; he served for eight months before being medically discharged because of issues with his back.[17][18] Upon his return, he married Martha Matthews in 1952, and from 1954 to 1956 studied agriculture atBaylor University, where he joined theTau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, until dropping out to pursue a career in music.[19] He worked as a nightclub bouncer, autohouse partsman, saddle maker, and tree trimmer again. He later joinedJohnny Bush's band.
Nelson moved with his family toPleasanton, Texas, where he auditioned for a job as a DJ atKBOP. The owner of the station, Dr. Ben Parker, gave Nelson the job despite his lack of experience working on radio.[16] With the equipment of the station, Nelson made his first two recordings in 1955: "The Storm Has Just Begun" and "When I've Sung My Last Hillbilly Song". He recorded the tracks on used tapes, and sent the demos to the local label SARG Records, which rejected them.[20] He then had stints working for KDNT inDenton,KCUL, andKCNC inFort Worth, where he hostedThe Western Express, taught Sunday school, and played in nightclubs. He then decided to move toSan Diego but, when he was unable to find a job there, he hitchhiked toPortland, Oregon, where his mother lived.[16] When nobody picked him up, he ended up sleeping in a ditch[21] before hopping afreight train bound forEugene. A truck driver drove him to a bus station and loaned him $10 for a ticket to reachPortland.[22]
Music career
Beginnings (1956–1971)
Nelson was hired byKVAN inVancouver, Washington,[23] and appeared frequently on a television show.[16][24] He made his first record in 1956, "No Place for Me", that includedLeon Payne's "Lumberjack" on the B-side.[25] The recording failed.[26] Nelson continued working as a radio announcer and singing in Vancouver clubs.[27]He made several appearances in a Colorado nightclub, later moving toSpringfield, Missouri. After failing to land a spot on theOzark Jubilee, he started to work as a dishwasher. Unhappy with his job, he moved back to Texas. After a short time inWaco, he settled in Fort Worth, and quit the music business for a year.[16] He sold Bibles and vacuum cleaners door-to-door,[28] and eventually became a sales manager for theEncyclopedia Americana.[29]
After his son Billy was born in 1958, the family moved toHouston, Texas. On the way, Nelson stopped by theEsquire Ballroom to sell his original songs to house band singerLarry Butler. Butler refused to purchase the song "Mr. Record Man" for $10, instead giving Nelson a $50 loan to rent an apartment and a six-night job singing in the club.[30] Nelson rented the apartment near Houston inPasadena, Texas, where he also worked at the radio station as the sign-on disc jockey. During this time, he recorded two singles forPappy Daily onD Records[31] "Man With the Blues"/"The Storm Has Just Begun" and "What a Way to Live"/"Misery Mansion".[32] Nelson then was hired by guitar instructor Paul Buskirk to work as an instructor in his school. He sold "Family Bible" to Buskirk for $50 and "Night Life" for $150.[33] "Family Bible" turned into a hit forClaude Gray in 1960.[34]
Written by Willie Nelson, "Hello Walls", was a hit for Faron Young in 1961, and the song that gave Nelson national recognition as a songwriter. He recorded the song for his debut album... And Then I Wrote.
Nelson moved toNashville, Tennessee, in 1960, but was unable to find a label to sign him. During this period he often spent time atTootsie's Orchid Lounge, a bar near the Grand Ole Opry frequented by the show's stars and other singers and songwriters.[35] There Nelson metHank Cochran, a songwriter who worked for the publishing company Pamper Music, owned by Ray Price and Hal Smith. Cochran heard Nelson during a jam session withBuddy Emmons and Jimmy Day. Cochran had just earned a raise of $50 a week, but convinced Smith to pay Nelson the money instead to sign him to Pamper Music. On hearing Nelson sing "Hello Walls" at Tootsie's,Faron Young decided to record it.[36] After Ray Price recorded Nelson's "Night Life", and his previous bassistJohnny Paycheck quit, Nelson joined Price's touring band as a bass player. While playing with Price and theCherokee Cowboys, his songs became hits for other artists, including "Funny How Time Slips Away" (Billy Walker), "Pretty Paper" (Roy Orbison), and, most famously, "Crazy" byPatsy Cline.[27] Nelson and Cochran also met Cline's husband,Charlie Dick at Tootsie's. Dick liked a song of Nelson's he heard on the bar's jukebox. Nelson played him a demo tape of "Crazy". Later that night Dick played the tape for Cline, who decided to record it.[6] "Crazy" became the biggestjukebox hit of all time.[37]
Nelson performing on aGrand Ole Opry package show in 1965
Nelson signed withLiberty Records and was recording by August 1961 at theBradley Studios in Nashville. His first two successful singles as an artist were released by the next year, including "Willingly" (a duet with his soon-to-be second wife,Shirley Collie, which became his first charting single and first Top Ten at No. 10) and "Touch Me" (his second Top Ten, stalling at No. 7).[38] Nelson's tenure at Liberty yielded his first album entitled...And Then I Wrote, released in September 1962.[39] In 1963 Collie and Nelson were married inLas Vegas. He then worked on the west coast offices of Pamper Records, inPico Rivera, California. Since the job did not allow him the time to play music of his own, he left it and bought a ranch inRidgetop, Tennessee, outside of Nashville.[29]Fred Foster ofMonument Records signed Nelson in early 1964, but only one single was released: "I Never Cared For You".[40]
By the fall of 1964, Nelson had moved toRCA Victor at the behest ofChet Atkins, signing a contract for $10,000 per year.[41]Country Willie – His Own Songs became Nelson's first RCA Victor album, recorded in April 1965. That same year he joined theGrand Ole Opry,[42] and he met and became friends withWaylon Jennings after watching one of his shows inPhoenix, Arizona.[43] In 1967, he formed his backing band "The Record Men", featuring Johnny Bush,Jimmy Day,Paul English and David Zettner.[44] During his first few years on RCA Victor, Nelson had no significant hits, but from November 1966 through March 1969, his singles reached the Top 25 in a consistent manner. "One in a Row" (#19, 1966), "The Party's Over" (#24 during a 16-week chart run in 1967), and his cover ofMorecambe & Wise's "Bring Me Sunshine" (#13, March 1969) were Nelson's best-selling records during his time with RCA.[26]
By 1970, most of Nelson's songwriting royalties were invested in tours that did not produce significant profits. In addition to the problems in his career, Nelson divorced Shirley Collie in 1970. In December, his ranch in Ridgetop, Tennessee, burned down. He interpreted the incident as a signal for a change. He moved to a ranch nearBandera, Texas, and married Connie Koepke. In early 1971 his single "I'm a Memory" reached the top 30.[45] After he recorded his final RCA single, "Mountain Dew" (backed with "Phases, Stages, Circles, Cycles and Scenes"), in late April 1972, RCA requested that Nelson renew his contract ahead of schedule, with the implication that RCA would not release his latest recordings if he did not.[46] Due to the failure of his albums, and particularly frustrated by the reception ofYesterday's Wine, although his contract was not over, Nelson decided to retire from music.[47]
Outlaw country and success (1972–1989)
Nelson moved toAustin, Texas, where the burgeoning hippie music scene (seeArmadillo World Headquarters) rejuvenated the singer. His popularity in Austin soared as he played his own brand of country music marked by country, folk and jazz influences.[48] In March, he performed on the final day of theDripping Springs Reunion, a three-day country music festival aimed by its producers to be an annual event. Despite the failure to reach the expected attendance, the concept of the festival inspired Nelson to create theFourth of July Picnic, his own annual event, starting the following year.[49]
Nelson decided to return to the recording business; he signed Neil Reshen as his manager to negotiate with RCA, who got the label to agree to end his contract upon repayment of $14,000.[46] Reshen eventually signed Nelson toAtlantic Records for $25,000 per year, where he became the label's first country artist.[50] He formed his backing band,The Family,[51] and, by February 1973, he was recording his acclaimedShotgun Willie at Atlantic Studios in New York City.[52]
Shotgun Willie, released in May 1973, earned excellent reviews but did not sell well. The album led Nelson to a new style, later stating thatShotgun Willie had "cleared his throat".[53] His next release,Phases and Stages, released in 1974, was a concept album about a couple's divorce, inspired by his own experience. Side one of the record is from the viewpoint of the woman, and side two is from the viewpoint of the man.[54] The album included the hit single "Bloody Mary Morning".[55] The same year, he produced and starred in the pilot episode ofPBS'Austin City Limits.[56]
Nelson then moved toColumbia Records, where he signed a contract that gave him complete creative control, made possible by the critical and commercial success of his previous albums.[57] The result was the critically acclaimed and massively popular 1975 concept albumRed Headed Stranger. Although Columbia was reluctant to release an album with primarily a guitar and piano for accompaniment, Nelson and Waylon Jennings insisted. The album included a cover ofFred Rose's 1945 song "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain", that had been released as a single previous to the album, and became Nelson's first number one hit as a singer.[58] Throughout his 1975 tour, Nelson raised funds for PBS-affiliated stations across the south promotingAustin City Limits. The pilot was aired first on those stations, later being released nationwide. The positive reception of the show prompted PBS to order ten episodes for 1976, formally launching the show.[59]
As Jennings was also achieving success in country music in the early 1970s, the pair were combined into a genre calledoutlaw country, since it did not conform to Nashville standards.[60] The albumWanted! The Outlaws in 1976 withJessi Colter andTompall Glaser cemented the pair's outlaw image and became country music's firstplatinum album.[61] Later that year Nelson releasedThe Sound in Your Mind (certified gold in 1978 and platinum in 2001)[62] and his first gospel albumTroublemaker[63] (certified gold in 1986).[64]
In the summer of 1977, Nelson discovered that Reshen had been filing tax extensions and not paying theInternal Revenue Service (IRS) since he took over as his manager.[65] In June, a package containing cocaine was sent from Reshen's office in New York to Jennings in Nashville.[66] The package was followed by theDEA, and Jennings was arrested. The charges were later dropped, since Reshen's assistant, Mark Rothbaum, stepped in and took the charges. Rothbaum was sentenced to serve time in jail. Impressed by his attitude, Nelson fired Reshen and hired Rothbaum as his manager.[65] In 1978, Nelson released two more platinum albums. One,Waylon & Willie, was a collaboration with Jennings that included "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys", a hit single written and performed byEd Bruce.[67] Though observers predicted thatStardust would ruin his career, it went platinum the same year.[68] Nelson continued to top the charts with hit songs during the late 1970s, including "Good Hearted Woman", "Remember Me",[69] "If You've Got the Money I've Got the Time", and "Uncloudy Day".[70]
Nelson and guests with PresidentJimmy Carter in 1978
In 1982,Pancho & Lefty, a duet album withMerle Haggard produced byChips Moman, was released.[73] During the recording sessions ofPancho & Lefty, Johnny Christopher, a session guitarist and the co-writer of "Always on My Mind", tried to pitch the song to an uninterested Haggard. Nelson, who was unaware ofElvis Presley's version of the song, asked him to record it. Produced by Moman, the single of the song was released, as well as the albumAlways on My Mind. The single toppedBillboard's Hot Country Singles, while it reached number five on theBillboard Hot 100. The release won three awards during the25th Annual Grammy Awards:Song of the Year,Best Country Song andBest Male Country Vocal Performance. The single was certified platinum, while the album was certified quadruple-platinum and later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.[74]
Meanwhile, two collaborations with Waylon Jennings were released:WWII in 1982,[75] andTake it to the Limit in 1983. In the mid-1980s, Nelson, Jennings, Kristofferson, andJohnny Cash formedThe Highwaymen, a supergroup who achieved platinum record sales and toured the world.[76] Meanwhile, Nelson became more involved with charity work, such as singing on "We Are the World" in 1984.[77] In 1985, Nelson had another success withHalf Nelson, a compilation album of duets with a range of artists such asRay Charles andNeil Young.[78] In 1980, Nelson performed on the south lawn of theWhite House. The concert of September 13 featured First LadyRosalynn Carter and Nelson in a duet ofRay Wylie Hubbard's "Up Against the Wall Redneck Mother". Nelson frequently visited the White House, where, according to the biography by Joe Nick Patoski,Willie Nelson: An Epic Life, he smoked marijuana on the White House roof.[79]
During the 1990s and 2000s, Nelson toured continuously, recording several albums including 1998's critically acclaimedTeatro,[82] and performed and recorded with other acts includingPhish,[83] Johnny Cash,[84] andToby Keith. His duet with Keith, "Beer for My Horses", was released as a single and topped theBillboard Hot Country Songs charts for six consecutive weeks in 2003,[85] while the accompanying video won an award for "Best Video" at the 2004Academy of Country Music Awards.[86] AUSA Network television special celebrated Nelson's 70th birthday,[87] and Nelson releasedThe Essential Willie Nelson as part of the celebration. Nelson also appeared onRingo Starr's 2003 album,Ringo Rama, as a guest vocal on "Write One for Me".[88]
Nelson headlined the 2005 Tsunami Relief Austin to Asia concert to benefit the victims of the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which raised an estimated $75,000 for UNICEF.[91] Also in 2005, a live performance of the Johnny Cash song "Busted" with Ray Charles was released on Charles' duets albumGenius & Friends. Nelson's 2007 performance with jazz trumpeterWynton Marsalis at theLincoln Center, was released as the live albumTwo Men with the Blues in 2008; reaching number one inBillboard's Top Jazz Albums and number twenty on theBillboard 200.[92] The same year, Nelson recorded his first album withBuddy Cannon as the producer,Moment of Forever. Cannon acquainted Nelson earlier, during the production of his collaboration withKenny Chesney on the duet "That Lucky Old Sun", for Chesney's albumLucky Old Sun.[93] In 2009 Nelson and Marsalis joined with Norah Jones in a tribute concert to Ray Charles, which resulted in theHere We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles album, released in 2011.[94]
2010s
In 2010, Nelson releasedCountry Music, a compilation of standards produced byT-Bone Burnett.[95] The album peaked at number four inBillboard's Top Country Albums, and twenty on theBillboard 200.[96] It was nominated for Best Americana Album at the2011 Grammy Awards.[97] In 2011 Nelson participated in the concertKokua For Japan, a fund raising event for the victims of the2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan which raised $1.6 million.[98]
In February 2012,Legacy Recordings signed a deal with Nelson that included the release of new material, as well as past releases that would be selected and complemented with outtakes and other material selected by him.[99] With the new deal, Buddy Cannon returned to produce the recordings of Nelson. After selecting the material and the sound of the tunes with the singer, Cannon's work method consisted in the recording of the tracks with studio musicians, with the takes later completed on a separate session by Nelson with his guitar. Cannon's association to Nelson also extended to songwriting, with singer and producer composing the lyrics by exchanging text messages.[93]
Nelson's following release wasBand of Brothers, in 2014, the first Nelson album to feature the most newly self-penned songs since 1996'sSpirit. Upon its release, it toppedBillboard's Top Country albums chart, the first time since 1986'sThe Promiseland, the last Nelson album to top it. The release reached number five on theBillboard 200, Nelson's highest position on the chart since 1982'sAlways on My Mind.[103] In December 2014, a duet withRhonda Vincent, "Only Me", toppedBluegrass Unlimited's National Airplay chart.[104] In June 2015, his collaboration with HaggardDjango and Jimmie toppedBillboard's Top Country albums chart and reached number seven on theBillboard 200.
In 2017, Nelson releasedGod's Problem Child. The release, consisting mostly of Nelson originals co-written with Cannon, entered the Top country albums at number one, while it reached number ten on theBillboard 200.[105]
In 2018, Nelson sang a song written byDaniel Lanois called "Cruel World" for thesoundtrack ofRockstar Games's action-adventure video gameRed Dead Redemption 2.[106] Lanois wrote the song especially for Nelson. When a hurricane prevented Nelson from recording the song, the production team sent the track toJosh Homme in the hopes that he could record it in time for the game's release. Nelson was ultimately able to record the song in time in Los Angeles;[107] the team considered combining the two versions into a duet, but ultimately included both versions in the game.[108] Also in 2018, Nelson was one of several artists onRestoration, a cover album containing various country renditions of songs originally byElton John, on which he performed "Border Song".[109] His 2019 releaseRide Me Back Home charted at number two on theBillboard Top Country Albums chart.[110] For the title-track, Nelson received theGrammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance.[111]
In 1988 his first book,Willie: An Autobiography, was published.[125]The Facts of Life: And Other Dirty Jokes, a personal recollection of tour and musical stories from his career, combined with song lyrics, followed in 2002. In 2005 he co-authoredFarm Aid: A Song for America, a commemorative book about the twentieth anniversary of the foundation of Farm Aid.[126] His third book, co-authored with long-time friendTurk Pipkin,The Tao of Willie: A Guide to the Happiness in Your Heart, was published in 2006.[127] In 2007 a book advocating the use of bio-diesel and the reduction of gas emissions,On the Clean Road Again: Biodiesel and the Future of the Family Farm, was published.[4] His next book,A Tale Out of Luck, published in 2008 and co-authored by Mike Blakely, was Nelson's first fictional book.[128] In 2012, a new autobiography by Nelson,Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road, was announced. Released on November 13, it was named after the song from his albumHeroes. The book contained further biographical details, as well as family pictures and stories about Nelson's political views, as well as his marijuana advocacy. The artwork of the book was designed by Nelson's son, Micah, and the foreword written by Kinky Friedman.[129] A second Nelson autobiography,It's a Long Story: My Life co-authored withDavid Ritz, was published on May 5, 2015.[130]Pretty Paper, another collaboration with Ritz, was published the following year.[131]
In 2002, Nelson became the official spokesman of theTexas Roadhouse, a chain of steakhouses. Nelson heavily promoted the chain and appeared on a special onFood Network. The chain installedWillie's Corner, a section dedicated to him and decked out with Willie memorabilia, at several locations.[132] In 2004, Nelson and his wife Annie became partners with Bob and Kelly King in the building of two Pacific bio-diesel plants, one inSalem, Oregon, and the other at Carl's Corner, Texas (the Texas plant was founded by Carl Cornelius, a longtime Nelson friend and the eponym for Carl's Corner). In 2005, Nelson and several other business partners formedWillie Nelson Biodiesel ("Bio-Willie"), a company that markets biodiesel bio-fuel to truck stops.[133] The fuel is made from vegetable oil (mainly soybean oil) and can be burned without modification indiesel engines.[134] Nelson registered his company with Earth Biofuels and he became a board member. In 2007, Nelson forfeited six million shares of the company as he left the board.[135] By 2008, he reopenedWillie's Place, a truck stop inCarl's Corner, Texas. TheU.S. Bankruptcy Court allowed Nelson to invest in it. The establishment had about 80 employees,[136] and was used as a concert hall with a bar and a 1,000 square feet (93 m2) dance floor.[137] Willie's Place also featured BioWillie pumps. At the time, the government of the United States offered a one dollar tax credit to producers of biodiesel. As the competition grew, the tax credit was discontinued while the prices of fossil fuels continued to drop. Nelson and his partners defaulted the $4.75 million loan they took for the construction of Willie's Place. Nelson then paid $35,000 back, while a judge later rejected the request of his creditors to receive more money from him.TravelCenters of America bought Willie's Place during its foreclosure in 2011. The BioWillie plant was then put on the market for sale. Nelson kept the trademark for BioWillie, which is sold on the islands of Maui and Hawaii. Meanwhile, Nelson owns shares of Big Island Biodiesel in Hawaii and SeQuential-Pacific Biodiesel in Oregon.[135]
In 2010, Nelson founded, with the collaboration of producers and filmmakersLuck Films, a company dedicated to producing feature films, documentaries, and concerts.[138] The next year, he created theWillie's Roadhouse show which aired on channel 56 ofSiriusXM radio. The channel was a result of the merger of his two other channelsThe Roadhouse andWillie's Place.[139] In November 2014, it was announced that Nelson would be the host of the television seriesInside Arlyn, shot at Arlyn Studio in Austin, Texas. The thirteen-episode first season would feature artists being interviewed by Nelson andDan Rather, followed by a performance. The series concept received attention from cable channels that requested to see the pilot episode.[140] Following the legalization of marijuana in different states, Nelson announced in 2015 through spokesman Michael Bowman the establishment of his own marijuana brand,Willie's Reserve. Plans to open chain stores in the states where marijuana was legalized were announced, to be expanded state-to-state if marijuana legalization further expanded. Bowman called the brand "a culmination of (Nelson's) vision, and his whole life".[141]
In 2017, Nelson appeared as himself inWoody Harrelson's live film,Lost in London.[142] In June 2017, he appeared alongside Merle Haggard in the documentaryThe American Epic Sessions directed byBernard MacMahon. They performed a song Haggard had composed for the film, "The Only Man Wilder Than Me",[143][144] andBob Wills's classic "Old Fashioned Love",[144] which they recorded live direct to disc on the firstelectrical sound recording system from the 1920s.[145] It was the last filmed performance of the pair.Rolling Stone commented that "in the final performance of Sessions, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard perform the duet 'The Only Man Wilder Than Me.' Haggard has a look of complete joy on his face throughout the session in the old-timey recording setup once used by his musical heroes."[146]
Musical style
Nelson uses a variety of music styles to create his own distinctive blend of country music, a hybrid of jazz, pop, blues, rock and folk.[147] His style incorporates a "relaxed, behind-the-beat singing style and gut-string guitar."[148] His "nasal voice and jazzy, off-center phrasing"[147] has been responsible for his wide appeal, and has made him a "vital icon in country music", influencing the "new country,new traditionalist, andalternative country movements of the 1980s and 1990s".[147]
Nelson's guitar, Trigger, has been signed by several of Nelson's friends
In 1969, the Baldwin company gave Nelson an amplifier and guitar with their "Prismatone"pickup. During a show inHelotes, Texas, Nelson left the guitar on the floor of the stage, and it was later stepped on by a drunk man.[149]He sent it to be repaired in Nashville byShot Jackson, who told Nelson that the damage was too great. Jackson offered him aMartin N-20classical guitar, and, at Nelson's request, moved the pickup to the Martin. Nelson purchased the guitar unseen for $750 and named it afterRoy Rogers' horse"Trigger".[150] The next year Nelson rescued the guitar from his burning ranch.[151][152]
Constant strumming with aguitar pick over the decades has worn a large sweeping hole into the guitar's body near the sound hole—the N-20 has nopickguard since classical guitars are meant to be played fingerstyle instead of with picks.[37] Its soundboard has been signed by over a hundred of Nelson's friends and associates, ranging from fellow musicians to lawyers and football coaches.[150] The first signature on the guitar wasLeon Russell's, who asked Nelson initially to sign his guitar. When Nelson was about to sign it with a marker, Russell requested him to scratch it instead, explaining that the guitar would be more valuable in the future. Interested in the concept, Nelson requested Russell to also sign his guitar.[149] In 1991, during his process with the IRS, Nelson was worried that Trigger could be auctioned off, stating: "When Trigger goes, I'll quit". He asked his daughter, Lana, to take the guitar from the studio before any IRS agent arrived there, and then deliver it to him inMaui.[152] Nelson then concealed the guitar in his manager's house until his debt was paid off in 1993.[150]
Political views and activism
Nelson has supported of a number of causes. Along withNeil Young andJohn Mellencamp, he set upFarm Aid in 1985 to assist and increase awareness of the importance of family farms, afterBob Dylan's comments during theLive Aid concert that he hoped some of the money would help American farmers in danger of losing their farms through mortgage debt.[153] The first concert included Dylan,Billy Joel,B.B. King,Roy Orbison, and Neil Young among many others, and raised over $9 million for America's family farmers.[154] Besides organizing and performing in the annual concerts, Nelson is the president of the board of Farm Aid.[155]
Nelson is a co-chair of theNational Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) advisory board.[156] He has worked with NORML for years, promoting marijuana legalization. In 2005 Nelson and his family hosted the first annual "Willie Nelson & NORML Benefit Golf Tournament", leading to a cover appearance and inside interview in the January 2008 issue ofHigh Times magazine.[157] After Nelson's arrest for possession of marijuana in 2010, he created Willie Nelson's TeaPot Party under the motto "Tax it, regulate it and legalize it!"[158] Nelson got 19 write-in votes for President of the United States in the MinnesotaLegal Marijuana Now presidentialprimary held on March 5, 2024.[159]
In 2001, following theSeptember 11 attacks, Nelson participated in the benefit telethonAmerica: A Tribute to Heroes, leading the rest of the celebrities singing the song "America the Beautiful".[160] In 2010, during an interview withLarry King, Nelson expressed hisdoubts with regards to the attacks and the official story. Nelson explained that he could not believe that the buildings could collapse due to the planes, attributing instead the result to an implosion.[161]
Nelson, and his guitar "Trigger", performing in 2012
Nelson is an advocate for better treatment for horses and has been campaigning for the passage of theAmerican Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 311) alongside theAnimal Welfare Institute.[166] He is on its board of directors and has adopted a number of horses fromHabitat for Horses.[167] In 2008, Nelson signed on to warn consumers about the cruel and illegal living conditions for calves raised to produce milk for dairy products. He wrote letters toLand O'Lakes and Challenge Dairy, two of the major corporations that use milk from calves raised at California's Mendes Calf Ranch, which employs an intensive confinement practice that was the subject of a lawsuit and campaign brought by theAnimal Legal Defense Fund.[128] Nelson is seen in the filmThe Garden supporting the impoverished community South Central Farm in Southern Los Angeles.[168]
A supporter of theLGBT movement, Nelson published in 2006 throughiTunes a version ofNed Sublette's "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other", that met instant success.[169] During an interview withTexas Monthly in 2013, regarding theDefense of Marriage Act andsame-sex marriage in the United States, Nelson responded to a comparison the interviewer made with thecivil rights movement, stating: "We'll look back and say it was crazy that we ever even argued about this". He also presented two logos with the pink equal sign, symbol of the LGBT movement. The first one, featured the sign represented with two long braids; while the second one, featured the sign represented with two marijuana cigarettes. The use of the logos became popular quickly in social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook.[170]
In June 2018, Nelson deplored theTrump administration family separation policy.[171] During his Fourth of July Picnic, he performed a song withBeto O'Rourke, the Democratic candidate for theSenate election in Texas. Nelson endorsed O'Rourke, and received negative reactions from the conservative part of his followers.[172] On September 29, 2018, Nelson offered a free concert in Austin supporting the candidate's run. The last number he performed was "Vote 'Em Out", a new track that was subsequently released as a single.[171]
Personal life
Nelson has been married four times and has eight children.[173] His first marriage was to Martha Matthews from 1952 to 1962. The couple had three children: Lana, Susie, and Willie "Billy" Hugh Jr. The latter died by suicide in 1991.[174] The marriage was marked by violence, with Matthews assaulting Nelson several times,[175] including one incident when she sewed him up in bedsheets and beat him with a broomstick.[176] Nelson then marriedShirley Collie in 1963. The couple divorced in 1971, after Collie found a bill from the maternity ward of a Houston hospital charged to Nelson and Connie Koepke for the birth ofPaula Carlene Nelson.[175] Nelson married Koepke the same year, and they had another daughter, Amy Lee Nelson. Following a divorce in 1988, he married his current wife, Annie D'Angelo, in 1991. They have two sons,Lukas Autry and Jacob Micah.[177] In 2012, Nelson learned that he fathered a daughter with his friend Mary Haney. Born on January 22, 1953, Rene Butts (born Lynda Renee Barley) met Nelson and she shared a picture of both of them on Father's Day in 2016. Butts died in 2017.[178]
Nelson owns "Luck, Texas", a ranch inSpicewood,[179][180] and also lives in Maui, Hawaii[181] with several celebrity neighbors.[182] While swimming in Hawaii in 1981, Nelson'slung collapsed. He was taken to the Maui Memorial Hospital and his scheduled concerts were canceled.[183] Nelson temporarily stopped smoking cigarettes each time his lungs became congested, and resumed when the congestion ended.[184] He was then smoking between two and three packs per day. After suffering from pneumonia several times, he decided to quit either marijuana or tobacco. He chose to quit tobacco.[185] In 2008, he started to smoke marijuana with a carbon-free system to avoid the effects of smoke.[186] In 2004, Nelson underwent surgery forcarpal tunnel syndrome, as he had damaged his wrists by continuously playing the guitar.[187] On the recommendation of his doctor, he canceled his scheduled concerts and only wrote songs during his recovery.[188] In 2012, he canceled a fund-raising appearance in the Denver area. He suffered from breathing problems due to high altitude and emphysema and was taken to a local hospital. His publicist Elaine Schock confirmed soon after that Nelson's health was good and that he was heading to his next scheduled concert in Dallas, Texas.[189] After repeated instances of pneumonia and emphysema through the years, Nelson underwentstem-cell therapy in 2015 to improve the state of his lungs.[190]
During his childhood, Nelson grew interested in martial arts. He ordered self-defense manuals onjujitsu and judo that he saw advertised inBatman andSuperman comic books. Nelson started to formally practicekung fu after he moved to Nashville, in the 1960s.[191] During the 1980s, Nelson began training intaekwondo and now holds a second-degree black belt in that discipline.[192] During the 1990s, Nelson started to practice the Korean martial artGongKwon Yusul.[193] In 2014, after 20 years in the discipline, his Grand Master Sam Um presented him with a fifth-degree black belt in a ceremony held in Austin, Texas.[194] A 2014Tae Kwon Do Times magazine interview revealed that Nelson had developed an unorthodox manner of training during the lengthy periods of time he was on tour. Nelson would conduct his martial arts training on his tour bus "The Honeysuckle Rose" and send videos to his supervising Master for review and critique.[195]
In March 2021, Nelson recorded a version of the popular standard "I'll Be Seeing You" that was used on apublic service announcement by theAd Council to encourageCOVID-19 vaccination in the United States.[196] Earlier in January 2021, Nelson and his sister received theModerna COVID-19 vaccine.[197] In May 2022, Nelson postponed several shows after he contractedCOVID-19. Nelson's wife detailed that he was severely affected by the illness, and that he received a treatment includingPaxlovid,monoclonal antibodies, and steroids. Nelson resumed his tour in September 2022.[198] During June 2024, Nelson had to cancel his performances at Outlaw Music Festival due to health complications and was ordered to rest for four days by a doctor.[199]
Legal issues
Nelson has been arrested several times for marijuana possession. The first occasion was in 1974 inDallas, Texas.[200] In 1977, after a tour with Hank Cochran, Nelson traveled toThe Bahamas. Nelson and Cochran arrived late to the airport and boarded the flight without luggage.[201] The bags were later sent to them. As Nelson and Cochran claimed their luggage in the Bahamas, a customs officer questioned Nelson after marijuana was found in a pair of his jeans. Nelson was arrested and jailed. As Cochran made arrangements to pay the bail, he took Nelson a six-pack of beer to his cell.[202] Nelson was released a few hours later. Inebriated, he fell after he jumped celebrating and was taken to the emergency room. He then appeared before the judge, who dropped the charges but ordered Nelson to never return to the country.[203]
In 1994,Texas Highway patrolmen found marijuana in his car near Waco, Texas. His requirement to appear in court prevented his attending the Grammy awards that year.[186] While traveling toAnn W. Richards' funeral in 2006, Nelson, along with his manager and his sister, Bobbie, were arrested inSt. Martin Parish, Louisiana, and charged with possession of marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms.[204] Nelson received six months probation.[205]
On November 26, 2010, Nelson was arrested inSierra Blanca, Texas, for possession of six ounces of marijuana found in his tour bus while traveling from Los Angeles back to Texas. He was released after paying bail of $2,500.[206] Prosecutor Kit Bramblett supported not sentencing Nelson to jail due to the small amount of marijuana involved, but suggested instead a $100 fine and told Nelson that he would have him sing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court. Judge Becky Dean-Walker said that Nelson would have to pay the fine but not to perform the song, explaining that the prosecutor was joking.[207] Nelson's lawyer Joe Turner reached an agreement with the prosecutor. Nelson was set to pay a $500 fine to avoid a two-year jail sentence with a 30-day review period, which in case of another incident would end the agreement.[208] The judge later rejected the agreement, claiming that Nelson was receiving preferential treatment for his celebrity status; the offense normally carried a one-year jail sentence.[209] Bramblett declared that the case would remain open until it was either dismissed or the judge changed her opinion.[210]
Issues with the Internal Revenue Service
In 1990, the IRS seized most of Nelson's assets, claiming that he owed $32 million. In addition to the unpaid taxes, Nelson's situation was worsened by the weak investments he had made during the early 1980s.[211] In 1978, after Nelson fired his manager Neil Reshen, Dallas lawyer Terry Bray introduced Nelson to the accounting firmPrice Waterhouse. To repay the debt Reshen had created with the IRS, Nelson was recommended to invest in tax shelters that ultimately flopped.[212] While the IRS disallowed his deductions for 1980, 1981 and 1982 (at a time that Nelson's income multiplied),[212] due to penalties and interests, the debt increased by the end of the decade.[213]
His lawyer,Jay Goldberg, negotiated the sum to be lowered to $16 million. Later, Nelson's attorney renegotiated a settlement with the IRS in which he paid $6 million, although Nelson did not comply with the agreement.[211] Nelson releasedThe IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories? as a double album, with all profits destined for the IRS. Many of his assets were auctioned and purchased by friends, who donated or rented his possessions to him for a nominal fee. He sued Price Waterhouse, contending that they put his money in illegal tax shelters.[214] The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount and Nelson cleared his debts by 1993.[215]
In 2003, Texas Governor Perry signed bill No. 2582, introduced by State RepresentativeElizabeth Ames Jones and SenatorJeff Wentworth, which funded theTexas Music Project, the state's official music charity. Nelson was named honorary chairman of the advisory board of the project.[224] In 2005, Democratic Texas SenatorGonzalo Barrientos introduced a bill to name 49 miles (79 km) of theTravis County section ofState Highway 130 after Nelson, and at one point 23 of the 31 state senators were co-sponsors of the bill.[225] The legislation was dropped after two Republican senators,Florence Shapiro and Wentworth, objected, citing Nelson's lack of connection to the highway, his fund raisers for Democrats, his drinking, and his marijuana advocacy.[226]
An important collection of Willie Nelson materials (1975–1994) became part of theWittliff collections of Southwestern Writers,Texas State University,San Marcos, Texas. The collection contains lyrics, screenplays, letters, concert programs, tour itineraries, posters, articles, clippings, personal effects, promotional items, souvenirs, and documents. It documents Nelson's IRS troubles and how Farm Aid contributions were used. Most of the material was collected by Nelson's friendBill Wittliff, who wrote or co-wroteHoneysuckle Rose,Barbarosa andRed Headed Stranger.[227] In 2014, Nelson donated his personal collection to theDolph Briscoe Center for American History. The items include photographs, correspondence, song manuscripts, posters, certificate records, awards, signed books, screenplays, personal items and gifts and tributes from Nelson's fans.[228]
In April 2010, Nelson received the "Feed the Peace" award fromThe Nobelity Project for his extensive work with Farm Aid and overall contributions to world peace. On June 23, 2010, he was inducted into the Library of Congress'sNational Recording Registry.[229] Nelson is an honorary trustee of theDayton International Peace Museum.[230]In 2010, Austin, Texas renamed Second Street to Willie Nelson Boulevard. The city also unveileda life-size statue to honor him, placed at the entrance ofAustin City Limits' new studio.[231] The non-profit organization Capital Area Statues commissioned sculptor Clete Shields to execute the project.[232] The statue was unveiled on April 20, 2012.[233] The date selected by the city of Austin unintentionally coincided with the number 4/20,associated with cannabis culture. In spite of the coincidence and Nelson's advocacy for the legalization of marijuana, the ceremony was scheduled also for 4:20 pm. During the ceremony, Nelson performed the song "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die".[234] The same year, Nelson was honored during the 46th Annual Country Music Association Awards as the first recipient of theLifetime Achievement Award, which was also named after him.[235] In 2013, he received an honorary doctorate from theBerklee College of Music.[236] The following year, he was part of the inaugural class inducted into theAustin City Limits Hall of Fame. Also included among the first inductees was his friend Darrell Royal, whose jamming parties that Nelson participated in were the source of inspiration for the show.[237]
For many years, Nelson's image was marked by his red hair, often divided into two long braids partially concealed under a bandanna. In the April 2007 issue ofStuff Magazine Nelson was interviewed about his long locks.[238] "I started braiding my hair when it started getting too long, and that was, I don't know, probably in the 70's." On May 26, 2010, the Associated Press reported that Nelson had cut his hair,[239] and Nashville music journalist Jimmy Carter published a photograph of the pigtail-free Nelson on his website. Nelson wanted a more maintainable hairstyle, as well helping him stay cool more easily at his Maui home.[240] In October 2014, the braids of Nelson were sold for $37,000 at an auction of the Waylon Jennings estate. In 1983, Nelson cut his braids and gave them to Jennings as a gift during a party celebrating Jennings' sobriety.[241]
Nelson's touring and recording group, the Family, is full of longstanding members. The original lineup included his sister Bobbie Nelson, drummer Paul English, harmonicistMickey Raphael, bassist Bee Spears, drummer/percussionist Billy English (Paul's younger brother), and guitaristJody Payne.[242] The current lineup only includes Nelson himself, Raphael, and Billy English from the classic lineup, as Jody Payne retired (before dying in 2013), Bee Spears died in 2011, Paul English died in 2020, and Willie's sisterBobbie Nelson died in 2022.[243]Willie & Family tours North America in the bio-diesel busHoneysuckle Rose, which is fueled by Bio-Willie.[244] Nelson's tour buses were customized by Florida Coach since 1979. The company built theHoneysuckle Rose I in 1983, which was replaced after a collision inNova Scotia, Canada, in 1990. The interior was salvaged and reused for the second version of the bus the same year. Nelson changed his tour bus in 1996, 2005 and 2013, and is touring on theHoneysuckle Rose V.[245]
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