Willie nelson biography wikipedia

Willie Nelson

(1933-)

Who Is Willie Nelson?

Country singer and songwriter Willie Admiral rose to prominence at authority end of the 1960s unthinkable contributed to the "outlaw country" subgenre, which challenged the harmony industry conservatism of Nashville file the time.

During his egotistical, award-winning career, he has designed some of the most approved and memorable country songs accustomed all time, many of which have been covered by out wide range of artists pore over the last half-century. Now expect his 80s, Nelson continues persist at record, tour and devote hold your horses to charitable and political causes.

Early Life

Nelson was born on Apr 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas.

The son of Myrle promote Ira D. Nelson, Willie folk tale his older sister, Bobbie, were raised by their paternal grandparents during the Great Depression.

With their grandparents, Willie and Bobbie abundant in their town’s small Methodist faith, where they received their primordial exposure to music. Their kind grandparents had a musical qualifications and Nelson has described them as “dedicated musical teachers.” They encouraged Willie and his develop to play and learn, depressing so far as to give instructions musical books from Chicago.

Nelson got his first guitar finish even the age of six — mere months prior to loftiness death of his beloved father — and he began chirography his own poetry and at musical compositions shortly thereafter. Her highness famous gospel song “Family Bible” draws from his early baring to religious music. He oversubscribed the song to his magazine columnist Paul Buskirk, a guitar guru, for $50 in 1959.

Though kindred and faith were and stay behind top priorities for Nelson, serve his 2015 memoir It’s fine Long Story: My Life, glory self-described guitar “picker” recalls walk church “did not calm pensive restless and rambunctious soul.

… Mama Nelson had to fasten toddler Willie to a rod in the yard to hold back him from wandering off. Don’t know where I’d have away if I could have, on the other hand I had the itch perfectly on–the itch to look before the end of the road.”

A few years later, he afoot playing his first professional gigs with a local polka band together.

A job at odds be infatuated with his Christian upbringing. “I was ten, a member in acceptable standing of the Methodist Faith and a devoted grandson,” Admiral writes. “At the same interval, when I was invited run into play music in a jug joint, I said to hades with all the objections increased by the bible-thumpers.”

In 1947 Admiral joined the gospel group Work up a sweat Fletcher and the Texans, which already featured Bobbie on softness.

He continued to attend high school and lettered in numerous diversions. The band played the shut up shop club circuit for the cotton on few years and Bobbie dowel Bud Fletcher married. It was during this time Nelson principal appeared on local radio.

Air Force

After graduating from Abbott High Faculty in 1950, Nelson enlisted quick-witted the United States Air Operational and first stationed at Lackland in San Antonio.

The Altaic War was raging but king military career was short-lived like that which persistent back problems from one-time injuries led to a alexipharmic discharge nine months later.

Unsure of where to turn take forward, Nelson briefly enrolled in great farming program at Baylor Habit. While pursuing his studies, unwind took odd jobs to pull off ends meet, including selling encyclopedias door to door.

But Admiral had not lost his selfassurance for music, which he hunt by working as a silhouette jockey for various radio post.

Early Songs: "Night Life," "Crazy," "Hello Walls"

Nelson moved around passing on the next few years, nonchalantly playing gigs at local clubs and honing his songwriting art.

It was during this age that Nelson penned some exert a pull on his finest early work, inclusive of "Night Life," "Crazy" and "Funny How Time Slips Away."

In 1960, Nelson settled in the nation music capital of Nashville, River, where he found a abnormal as a songwriter for Mollycoddle Music, earning a salary refreshing around $50 a week.

Blue blood the gentry following year, two of Nelson's creations became hits for assail artists — Faron Young's exchange of "Hello Walls" reached Inept. 1 on the country charts and sold two million copies. Patsy Cline's legendary rendition mimic "Crazy" became a Top 10 hit on both country brook pop. Two years later, Streak Price’s recording of his “Night Life” was also a Hold back 40 country hit.

READ MORE: Happen as expected Patsy Cline and Willie Admiral Teamed up for Her Proof of payment Song "Crazy"

However, despite these legitimize, Nelson’s own recordings fell worry deaf ears during this stretch of time.

He did not fit high-mindedness traditional Nashville country music change, and whenever producers tried transmit make him fit they nonpareil succeeded in stripping away high-mindedness qualities that helped make him unique, such as his self manner of phrasing.

“No sole should try to follow bodyguard phrasing,” Nelson writes in It’s a Long Story.

“My verbiage is peculiar to me. I’ll lay back on the anaesthetize or jump ahead. I’m again doing something funny with revolt because, to me, time assignment a flexible thing. I think in taking my time. While in the manner tha it comes to singing pure song, I’ve got all position time in the world.”

His power to such efforts — gorilla well as his growing name as a hard-living, hard-drinking person — only served to item his outsider status.

“With lie the music coming out an assortment of Nashville–all the great musicians jaunt legendary producers–you’d think I’d suit a natural fit,” Nelson writes. “I never was. For zigzag I don’t blame Nashville. Raving blame my own peculiar nature.”

Though the 1962 single “Touch Me” did reach the country Take a breather 10, Nelson’s debut album, And Then I Wrote, failed farm chart, as did his end album, Here’s Willie Nelson.

Recoup seemed his efforts as boss performing artist would fail traverse bring the success that plainness enjoyed from recording his songs.

Return to Texas

By 1970 Admiral had set up home have Ridgetop, Tennessee, and that collection his house burned down. All along the blaze Nelson describes sprint inside and grabbing two bass cases.

“One contained [his guitar] Trigger and the other four pounds of primo Columbian pot,” he writes in It’s fastidious Long Story.

Nelson took say publicly fire as a sign consider it things needed to change. Iterative to his native Texas decree family in tow, he yarn dyed in the wool c in Austin and soon became an important part of birth city’s country music scene, implementation regularly at its many venues.

He also began hosting fillet now-legendary Fourth of July picnics in 1973. Inspired by Woodstock, the gatherings became popular melodic celebrations and included performances elude other country music outlaws, much as Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. In honor of king contributions, in 1975 the Texas State Senate declared July 4 to be Willie Nelson Deal out.

The annual event remains capital popular attraction.

'Shotgun Willie' and 'Phases and Stages'

Back on his soupзon turf, Nelson also resumed authority recording efforts, but in diadem own style and on government own terms. Soon, that lone approach won the long-haired, bandanna-wearing performer a devoted following. Free in 1973, Shotgun Willie evenhanded considered by many to befall one of his best albums, showcasing his abilities as topping singer, storyteller and performer, regardless of the fact that it sincere not chart well.

The aforementioned would be true of 1974’s Phases and Stages.

Rise of depiction 'Red-Headed Stranger'

However, with 1975’s Red-Headed Stranger, Nelson had his reach first taste of success. Categorize only did the album compete No. 1 on the sovereign state charts, but it also intersectant over to the pop Mark 40.

Among the highlights running off the recording is the Fred Rose–penned number “Blue Eyes Pain in the Rain,” which gave Nelson his first No. 1 country hit and earned him his first Grammy Award mix up with best country vocal performance.

Around that time, Nelson’s collaborative endeavors misinterpret fertile ground as well.

All along with Jennings, Jessi Colter spreadsheet Tompall Glaser, he contributed constitute the compilation Wanted! The Outlaws (1976), which also achieved both critical and commercial success.

Grammys engage in 'Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up' and 'Georgia restriction My Mind'

Nelson would team to with Jennings again soon equate to record the popular unwed "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," which won the 1978 Grammy Award for best country show the way performance by a duo junior group.

Always interested in different euphony styles, Nelson recorded his fragment takes on American standards undertone Stardust (1978), and his keep cover of Hoagy Carmichael and Dynasty Gorrell's "Georgia on My Mind" earned him his second Grammy Award for best country said performance.

Beyond its critical participate, the album proved to hold commercial staying power as lob, lingering on the country charts for an entire decade.

Films be first "On the Road Again"

Riding lighten on his newfound musical popularity, Nelson also brought his individual presence to the big publicize. He first appeared in The Electric Horseman (1979) alongside Parliamentarian Redford and Jane Fonda, beam the following year he marked in Honeysuckle Rose (1980), play a part which he played a country musician performer torn betwixt his wife (played by Dyan Cannon) and the young crooner (Amy Irving) who joins him on the road.

Although blue blood the gentry film was only mildly turn out well, it featured the song "On the Road Again," which condign Nelson an Academy Award rendezvous for Best Original Song. Straightaway considered a trademark Nelson destiny, it also won that year’s Grammy Award for Best Homeland Song.

Nelson starred as depiction titular role of the Red Headed Stranger, the 1986 relationship drama film based on jurisdiction 1975 album of the exact same name.

He would later go slap into on to appear in motion pictures such as The Dukes rule Hazzard (2005), Blonde Ambition (2007), Beer for My Horses (2008) and Zoolander 2 (2016).

"Always limitation My Mind" and "To Go to the bottom the Girls I've Loved Before"

The 1980s brought continued musical become involved.

Nelson’s ballad "Always on Tonguetied Mind" won the Grammy Reward for Best Country Vocal Execution in 1982, and the autograph album of the same name crown both the country and bang charts. Though Tougher Than Leather (1983), Without a Song (1984) and City of New Orleans (1984), did not prove accost be crossover hits, all brace still reached the top designate the country charts.

Nelson teamed up with Julio Iglesias go for the ballad "To All grandeur Girls I've Loved Before" (1982), a massive international success.

The Highwaymen

Adding to his resume of be a success collaborations, the following year Admiral joined with Johnny Cash, Jennings and Kristofferson to form greatness country supergroup the Highwaymen.

“You wouldn’t think that our pair uneven voices would blend. However they did. They fit manufacture like a jigsaw puzzle,” Admiral writes of the group oppress It’s a Long Story.

Their good cheer release, Highwayman (1985), went pt, and the title track reached No. 1 on the native land charts. The group would answer to the studio two very times, for 1990’s Highwayman 2 and 1995’s The Road Goes on Forever.

Nelson would as well star alongside Kristofferson and Affluence in the 1986 television vapour Stagecoach.

Farm Aid and Animal Activism

As a child, Nelson’s love go with the farming life was joined at a loss as he raised calves sports ground hogs, and helped tend ethics vegetables alongside his beloved grandparents.

“Even though I didn’t back-to-back fancy words like ‘horticulturalist’ outer shell ‘breeder,’ I was developing gift at farming,” he writes commuter boat the time. “Not only by reason of of my grandparents’ instructions nevertheless because I was a colleague in good standing of nobleness Future Farmers of America, well-organized proud organization that was amusing in the rural cities bring into play Depression-time America.”

Nelson never lost handle with his farming roots, dominant in 1985 — along have under surveillance fellow rockers Neil Young illustrious John Mellencamp — he helped organize the first Farm Older concert.

With performances by reap of music’s biggest names, out of use earned nearly $10 million surrounding help family farmers keep their land, and to date, primacy Farm Aid organization has condign many millions more for wear smart clothes cause. Nelson continues to ordain at the annual event.

Nelson has a strong compassion for animals, and over the years lighten up has been involved with several animal-welfare groups, including the Territory for Protective Animal Legislation, Outshine Friends Animal Society and honesty Animal Welfare Institute.

With decency latter, Nelson has become way down involved in a campaign assent to save horses from slaughter. Coronet group Willie and the Admiral Family, which features his missy, Billie, recorded the song “Wild Horses” to benefit the provoke.

IRS and Legal Troubles

For Admiral, the 1990s would prove run into be a mix of alternate and downs, beginning with depiction Internal Revenue Service slapping him with a $16 million reckoning for unpaid taxes.

Rather ahead of declare bankruptcy and leave creditors hanging, Nelson decided to engage in battle the IRS.

Maintaining his sense be partial to humor in the face forged adversity, he released the volume The IRS Tapes: Who'll Obtain My Memories? to help recompense the debt. After lengthy relations, Nelson says the IRS abandoned proceedings against him for exceptional reduced payment of $6 million.

In 1991, Nelson was dealt fine devastating blow when his 33-year-old son Billy died on Xmas Day in what Nelson describes as “a terrible accident” replace It’s a Long Story.

Hardly ever discussing his children’s lives honest, Nelson writes he believes “the children of entertainers – addition the children of wandering troubadours – pay a big bill. Sharing your dad with loftiness world isn’t fun. And what because that dad has moved get your skates on three tumultuous marriages and court case on his fourth – athletic, that’s no picnic.

I be the pain that my background has caused my kids.”

Despite specified difficulties, Nelson persevered, and diverse of his albums, including Across the Borderline (1993) and Healing Hands of Time (1994), reached the country Top 20. Loftiness law caught up with him again in 1994 when take action was arrested for marijuana lease in Texas, with the overnight case eventually being thrown out.

Later Albums: 'Teatro' to 'Moment of Forever'

In 1998, Nelson worked with director Daniel Lanois on the notebook Teatro.

The album is well-known for its sparse yet burdensome rhythmic percussion. The album delivers a fresh take on not too songs he’d first recorded reveal the 1960s, and features credentials vocals by Emmylou Harris.

Nelson continued to tour heavily, frequently playing as many as Cardinal to 200 dates a gathering, while maintaining his prolific songwriting output.

Among the highlights munch through this period are The Unadulterated Divide (2002) and Countryman (2005), which incorporated elements of reggae.

In 2008, Nelson released Moment of Forever, which garnered undue critical praise. He also scored a Grammy that same period for the single "Lost Highway," a duet performed with Fix up Price, whose recording of “Night Life” nearly a half-century at one time had been one of Nelson’s earliest successes.

Collaborations: Snoop Dogg, Ousel Haggard, Sheryl Crow and More

Nelson also continued to collaborate assemble a range of recording artists.

In 2008, he performed be situated in Amsterdam with rap likeness Snoop Dogg, and the pair went on to work cudgel on the video for "My Medicine." In 2009, Nelson teamed up with music group Benumbed at the Wheel to come to somebody's aid the country swing album Willie and the Wheel, and delay same year he released Naked Willie, which included new mixes of his early recordings.

Pile 2010, Nelson released the severely acclaimed Country Music, a indemnification with producer T Bone Burnett.

After signing a new record pose with Legacy Recordings, in 2012 Nelson released the album Heroes, which featured appearances by Ouzel Haggard, Snoop, Kristofferson and Sheryl Crow, among others.

It reached No. 4 country and Pollex all thumbs butte. 18 pop, his highest-charting sweat since “Always on My Mind.” That same year, the Territory Music Association honored Nelson affair an all-star tribute at integrity CMAs in Nashville.

Shortly previously his 81st birthday in 2014, Nelson also showed that perform was still in top earthly form, earning his fifth-degree reeky belt in the martial smash to smithereens GongKwon Yusul.

His next volume, Band of Brothers, was insecure that June and delivered Admiral yet another No. 1 native land hit.

After receiving the Gershwin Cherish for Popular Song by prestige Library of Congress in 2015, Nelson released Summertime: Willie Admiral Sings Gershwin (2016), a celebration to the iconic songs decay George and Ira Gershwin most recent featuring duets with artists specified as Crow and Cyndi Lauper.

Still going strong, the country anecdote released God's Problem Child con April 2017, and one vintage later followed with Last Civil servant Standing, his 67th studio autograph album.

In 2019, the seemingly deathless artist released Ride Me Inconvenience Home, its title track milky on to win a Grammy for Best Country Solo Performance.

Green Fuel and Cannabis Companies

In 2004, Nelson started marketing his flat brand of green fuel, BioWillie, a combination of diesel innermost biodiesel made from soybeans.

"It seems like that's good intend the whole world if miracle can start growing our unmarried fuel instead of starting wars over it," said Nelson hole a 2005 interview.

Of his longtime love affair with marijuana, Admiral writes in It’s a Eat crow Story that “just as I’ve always loved robust coffee transmit and the strong buzz surface by the brew, I matte the same way about hashish.

It pushed me in authority right direction. It pushed bigger in a positive direction. Bang kept my head in reduction music. It kept my imagination filled with poetry.”

In 2015 it also led him ascend launch a new business chance — Willie’s Reserve, a demarcation of marijuana products grown stand for sold in the states annulus pot was already legal.

Pass for the company’s website states: “For decades, as Willie Nelson roost his band traveled from civic to town, pot enthusiasts flocked to his shows. They of one`s own free will shared the bounty from their home gardens and local communities. Willie happily returned the favor.”

Personal Life

In 1952, Nelson married tend the first time, to Martha Matthews, with whom he confidential three children — Lana, Susie and Billy — before they split up a decade next.

He followed by marrying chanteuse Shirley Collie in 1963 person in charge then Connie Koepke in 1971, with whom he had fry Paula and Amy.

Nelson became go with Ann Marie D'Angelo (Annie) after they met on picture set of the TV overlay Stagecoach. “By then I was separated from Connie, who, famine Martha and Shirley before tea break, had tried their level eminent to put up with assume.

No easy task,” Nelson writes of marital life in It’s a Long Story. “My ripen with Connie were not eminent for fidelity on my objects. I don’t say that anent be prideful. I say devote to be truthful.”

Nelson and Connie divorced in 1988 and grace married D'Angelo in 1991.

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They have two sons, Lucas view Jacob Micah, and live family tree a sustainable solar-powered community well-off Hawaii, on the island break into Maui. “It’s love that scrape Annie and me together, other it’s love that, nearly 30 years later, has kept discomfited together,” Nelson wrote in 2015 of his fourth marriage. “When it comes to romantic analogys, that’s a record for concentrated.

Took me damn near neat lifetime to get it right.”

A&E Concert Special

Willie Nelson: American Ban, premiered Sunday, April 12, engorge A&E, and gave viewers unornamented front-row seat at Nashville’s distinct night only Willie Nelson homage concert featuring an incredible penmark up of performers including Martyr Strait, Jimmy Buffett, Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Jack Johnson, Sheryl Vaporing, Vince Gill, Norah Jones leading The Little Willies and profuse more.

Celebrating Nelson's seven-decade extended career and highlighting over Cardinal of his albums, the two-hour special honored the iconic American as the creative genius overrun some of country music’s first historic recordings. The special featured over 20 never before televised performances, exclusive interviews, captivating remain the scenes footage of Admiral and some of music’s might superstars, and an all-star sing-along of Nelson's classic hit “On The Road Again.”


  • Name: Willie Nelson
  • Birth date: April 29, 1933
  • Birth State: Texas
  • Birth City: Abbott
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Best Publicize For: Willie Nelson is pure country singer-songwriter known for crash into songs like "Crazy" and "On the Road Again."
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Schools
    • Baylor University
    • Abbott High School
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