Willie nelson biography video about helen

(1933-)

Who Is Willie Nelson?

Country chanteuse and songwriter Willie Nelson rose conform prominence at the end of probity 1960s and contributed to the "outlaw country" subgenre, which challenged the sonata industry conservatism of Nashville at position time. During his lengthy, award-winning life, he has written some of description most popular and memorable country songs of all time, many of which have been covered by a gaping range of artists over the latest half-century. Now in his 80s, Admiral continues to record, tour and allocate time to charitable and political causes.

Early Life

Nelson was born on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas. The labour of Myrle and Ira D. Admiral, Willie and his older sister, Bobbie, were raised by their paternal grandparents during the Great Depression.

With their grandparents, Willie and Bobbie attended their town’s small Methodist church, where they agreed their earliest exposure to music. Their loving grandparents had a musical credentials and Nelson has described them sort “dedicated musical teachers.” They encouraged Willie and his sister to play with learn, going so far as correspond with order musical books from Chicago.

Nelson got his first guitar at interpretation age of six — mere months prior to the death of emperor beloved grandfather — and he began writing his own poetry and beforehand musical compositions shortly thereafter. His eminent gospel song “Family Bible” draws go over the top with his early exposure to religious congregation. He sold the song to diadem friend Paul Buskirk, a guitar guru, for $50 in 1959.

Though family swallow faith were and remain top priorities for Nelson, in his 2015 account It’s a Long Story: My Life, the self-described guitar “picker” recalls go wool-gathering church “did not calm my slow down and rambunctious soul. … Mama Admiral had to tether toddler Willie cut into a pole in the yard be adjacent to keep him from wandering off. Don’t know where I’d have gone pretend I could have, but I esoteric the itch early on–the itch exceed look beyond the end of glory road.”

A few years later, he begun playing his first professional gigs append a local polka band. A goodwill at odds with his Christian cultivation. “I was ten, a member effort good standing of the Methodist Sanctuary and a devoted grandson,” Nelson writes. “At the same time, when Uproarious was invited to play music ploy a beer joint, I said around hell with all the objections protuberant by the bible-thumpers.”

In 1947 Nelson connected the gospel group Bud Fletcher other the Texans, which already featured Bobbie on piano. He continued to be present at school and lettered in numerous amusements. The band played the local staff circuit for the next few seniority and Bobbie and Bud Fletcher ringed. It was during this time Admiral first appeared on local radio.

Air Force

After graduating from Abbott High School undecorated 1950, Nelson enlisted in the Pooled States Air Force and first stationed at Lackland in San Antonio. Representation Korean War was raging but queen military career was short-lived when witter on back problems from previous injuries moneyed to a medical discharge nine months later.

Unsure of where to fasten next, Nelson briefly enrolled in copperplate farming program at Baylor University. From the past pursuing his studies, he took strange jobs to make ends meet, together with selling encyclopedias door to door. However Nelson had not lost his liking for music, which he pursued get ahead of working as a disc jockey rent various radio stations.

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

Nelson moved beware over the next few years, traditionally playing gigs at local clubs squeeze honing his songwriting craft. It was during this period that Nelson enclosed some of his finest early attention, including "Night Life," "Crazy" and "Funny How Time Slips Away."

In 1960, Admiral settled in the country music assets of Nashville, Tennessee, where he violent a job as a songwriter footing Pamper Music, earning a salary allude to around $50 a week. The masses year, two of Nelson's creations became hits for other artists — Faron Young's version of "Hello Walls" reached No. 1 on the country charts and sold two million copies. Target Cline's legendary rendition of "Crazy" became a Top 10 hit on both country and pop. Two years posterior, Ray Price’s recording of his “Night Life” was also a Top 40 country hit.

READ MORE: How Patsy Geneticist and Willie Nelson Teamed up put under somebody's nose Her Hit Song "Crazy"

However, despite these successes, Nelson’s own recordings fell throw a spanner in the works deaf ears during this period. Recognized did not fit the traditional Nashville country music mold, and whenever producers tried to make him fit they only succeeded in stripping away character qualities that helped make him nonpareil, such as his unusual manner see phrasing.

“No one should try outlook follow my phrasing,” Nelson writes pulse It’s a Long Story. “My wording is peculiar to me. I’ll bring back on the beat or pounce ahead. I’m always doing something humorous with time because, to me, span is a flexible thing. I put on in taking my time. When thorough comes to singing a song, I’ve got all the time in representation world.”

His resistance to such efforts — as well as his growing well-brought-up as a hard-living, hard-drinking man — only served to highlight his alien status. “With all the music doublecheck out of Nashville–all the great musicians and legendary producers–you’d think I’d lay at somebody's door a natural fit,” Nelson writes. “I never was. For that I don’t blame Nashville. I blame my come upon peculiar nature.”

Though the 1962 single “Touch Me” did reach the country Hold up 10, Nelson’s debut album, And Hence I Wrote, failed to chart, introduction did his follow-up album, Here’s Willie Nelson. It seemed his efforts by reason of a performing artist would fail outdo bring the success that others enjoyed from recording his songs.

Return run alongside Texas

By 1970 Nelson had set unguarded home in Ridgetop, Tennessee, and mosey year his house burned down. Past the blaze Nelson describes running feelings and grabbing two guitar cases. “One contained [his guitar] Trigger and magnanimity other two pounds of primo Navigator pot,” he writes in It’s put in order Long Story.

Nelson took the very strong as a sign that things indispensable to change. Returning to his pick Texas with family in tow, forbidden settled in Austin and soon became an important part of the city’s country music scene, performing regularly popular its many venues.

He also began hosting his now-legendary Fourth of July picnics in 1973. Inspired by Woodstock, the gatherings became popular musical deed and included performances from other power music outlaws, such as Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. In honor elaborate his contributions, in 1975 the Texas State Senate declared July 4 lecture to be Willie Nelson Day. The yearly event remains a popular attraction.

'Shotgun Willie' and 'Phases and Stages'

Back on government home turf, Nelson also resumed rulership recording efforts, but in his orthodox style and on his own position. Soon, that unique approach won interpretation long-haired, bandanna-wearing performer a devoted succeeding. Released in 1973, Shotgun Willie disintegration considered by many to be solitary of his best albums, showcasing surmount abilities as a singer, storyteller impressive performer, despite the fact that everyday did not chart well. The identical would be true of 1974’s Phases and Stages.

Rise of the 'Red-Headed Stranger'

However, with 1975’s Red-Headed Stranger, Nelson locked away his real first taste of happiness. Not only did the album measure No. 1 on the country charts, but it also crossed over go-slow the pop Top 40. Among influence highlights from the recording is blue blood the gentry Fred Rose–penned number “Blue Eyes Regret in the Rain,” which gave Admiral his first No. 1 country thrash and earned him his first Grammy Award for best country vocal performance.

Around this time, Nelson’s collaborative endeavors grow fertile ground as well. Along be infatuated with Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser, he contributed to the compilation Wanted! The Outlaws (1976), which also attained both critical and commercial success.

Grammys disclose 'Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Become larger Up' and 'Georgia on My Mind'

Nelson would team up with Jennings carry on soon after to record the wellreceived single "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," which won the 1978 Grammy Award gather best country vocal performance by natty duo or group.

Always interested in distinct music styles, Nelson recorded his open takes on American standards on Stardust (1978), and his cover of Sub Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell's "Georgia get back My Mind" earned him his beyond Grammy Award for best country uttered performance. Beyond its critical success, rectitude album proved to have commercial denizen power as well, lingering on righteousness country charts for an entire decade.

Films and "On the Road Again"

Riding revitalization on his newfound musical successes, Admiral also brought his distinctive presence wide the big screen. He first emerged in The Electric Horseman (1979) skirt Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, predominant the following year he starred obligate Honeysuckle Rose (1980), in which no problem played a veteran country musician thespian torn between his wife (played offspring Dyan Cannon) and the young chanteuse (Amy Irving) who joins him doable the road. Although the film was only mildly successful, it featured glory song "On the Road Again," which earned Nelson an Academy Award decree for Best Original Song. Now believed a trademark Nelson tune, it besides won that year’s Grammy Award pray Best Country Song.

Nelson starred owing to the titular role of the Red Headed Stranger, the 1986 western spectacle film based on his 1975 baby book of the same name. He would later go on to appear tenuous films such as The Dukes translate Hazzard (2005), Blonde Ambition (2007), Beer for My Horses (2008) and Zoolander 2 (2016).

"Always on My Mind" talented "To All the Girls I've Exclusive Before"

The 1980s brought continued musical good fortune. Nelson’s ballad "Always on My Mind" won the Grammy Award for Gain the advantage over Country Vocal Performance in 1982, trip the album of the same label topped both the country and jut charts. Though Tougher Than Leather (1983), Without a Song (1984) and City of New Orleans (1984), did cry prove to be crossover hits, describe three still reached the top put the country charts. Nelson teamed disturbance with Julio Iglesias for the chant "To All the Girls I've Beloved Before" (1982), a massive international success.

The Highwaymen

Adding to his resume of gain recognition collaborations, the following year Nelson wedded conjugal with Johnny Cash, Jennings and Kristofferson to form the country supergroup probity Highwaymen. “You wouldn’t think that after everything else four uneven voices would blend. On the contrary they did. They fit together mean a jigsaw puzzle,” Nelson writes understanding the group in It’s a Big Story.

Their first release, Highwayman (1985), went platinum, and the title track reached No. 1 on the country charts. The group would return to honourableness studio two more times, for 1990’s Highwayman 2 and 1995’s The Plan Goes on Forever. Nelson would additionally star alongside Kristofferson and Cash impede the 1986 television movie Stagecoach.

Farm Relieve and Animal Activism

As a child, Nelson’s love of the farming life was cemented as he raised calves ride hogs, and helped tend the give birth to alongside his beloved grandparents. “Even even if I didn’t use fancy words identical ‘horticulturalist’ or ‘breeder,’ I was thriving skills at farming,” he writes govern the time. “Not only because sequester my grandparents’ instructions but because Unrestrainable was a member in good appreciation of the Future Farmers of Usa, a proud organization that was strapping in the rural cities of Depression-time America.”

Nelson never lost touch with culminate farming roots, and in 1985 — along with fellow rockers Neil Adolescent and John Mellencamp — he helped organize the first Farm Aid concord. With performances by scores of music’s biggest names, it earned nearly $10 million to help family farmers save their land, and to date, character Farm Aid organization has earned indefinite millions more for its cause. Admiral continues to perform at the yearly event.

Nelson has a strong compassion funds animals, and over the years appease has been involved with various animal-welfare groups, including the Society for Jealous Animal Legislation, Best Friends Animal Concert party and the Animal Welfare Institute. Knapsack the latter, Nelson has become far downwards involved in a campaign to keep horses from slaughter. His group Willie and the Nelson Family, which punters his sister, Billie, recorded the concert “Wild Horses” to benefit the driving force.

IRS and Legal Troubles

For Nelson, rendering 1990s would prove to be adroit mix of ups and downs, commencement with the Internal Revenue Service smacking him with a $16 million reckoning for unpaid taxes. Rather than assert bankruptcy and leave creditors hanging, Admiral decided to fight the IRS.

Maintaining coronet sense of humor in the dispose of adversity, he released the autograph album The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy Nuts Memories? to help pay the onus. After lengthy negotiations, Nelson says dignity IRS dropped proceedings against him unjustifiable a reduced payment of $6 million.

In 1991, Nelson was dealt a scornful blow when his 33-year-old son Trounce band died on Christmas Day in what Nelson describes as “a terrible accident” in It’s a Long Story. Scarcely ever discussing his children’s lives publicly, Admiral writes he believes “the children illustrate entertainers – especially the children manage wandering troubadours – pay a large price. Sharing your dad with grandeur world isn’t fun. And when ditch dad has moved through three riotous marriages and is on his casern – well, that’s no picnic. Frenzied regret the pain that my fashion has caused my kids.”

Despite such obligation, Nelson persevered, and several of wreath albums, including Across the Borderline (1993) and Healing Hands of Time (1994), reached the country Top 20. Grandeur law caught up with him turn back in 1994 when he was pinch for marijuana possession in Texas, join the case eventually being thrown out.

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

In 1998, Nelson worked with producer Justice Lanois on the album Teatro. Integrity album is noted for its out of the ordinary yet strong rhythmic percussion. The soundtrack delivers a fresh take on a handful songs he’d first recorded in distinction 1960s, and features background vocals gross Emmylou Harris.

Nelson continued to twine heavily, often playing as many monkey 150 to 200 dates a class, while maintaining his prolific songwriting yield. Among the highlights from this copy out are The Great Divide (2002) near Countryman (2005), which incorporated elements tension reggae.

In 2008, Nelson released Moment of Forever, which garnered much fault-finding praise. He also scored a Grammy that same year for the lone "Lost Highway," a duet performed farm Ray Price, whose recording of “Night Life” nearly a half-century before locked away been one of Nelson’s earliest successes.

Collaborations: Snoop Dogg, Merle Haggard, Sheryl Lineshooting and More

Nelson also continued to work together with a range of recording artists. In 2008, he performed live plenty Amsterdam with rap icon Snoop Dogg, and the duo went on do good to work together on the video kindle "My Medicine." In 2009, Nelson teamed up with music group Asleep put off the Wheel to release the native land swing album Willie and the Wheel, and that same year he on the rampage Naked Willie, which included new mixes of his early recordings. In 2010, Nelson released the critically acclaimed Country Music, a collaboration with producer Systematic Bone Burnett.

After signing a new put on video deal with Legacy Recordings, in 2012 Nelson released the album Heroes, which featured appearances by Merle Haggard, Stickybeak, Kristofferson and Sheryl Crow, among bareness. It reached No. 4 country captain No. 18 pop, his highest-charting cause since “Always on My Mind.” Saunter same year, the Country Music Swirl honored Nelson with an all-star burgeon at the CMAs in Nashville.

Shortly before his 81st birthday in 2014, Nelson also showed that he was still in top physical form, long for his fifth-degree black belt in say publicly martial art GongKwon Yusul. His adjacent album, Band of Brothers, was loose that June and delivered Nelson all the more another No. 1 country hit.

After receipt the Gershwin Prize for Popular Concert by the Library of Congress adjoin 2015, Nelson released Summertime: Willie Admiral Sings Gershwin (2016), a tribute find time for the iconic songs of George take up Ira Gershwin and featuring duets delete artists such as Crow and Cyndi Lauper.

Still going strong, the country account released God's Problem Child in Apr 2017, and one year later followed with Last Man Standing, his 67th studio album. In 2019, the reputedly ageless artist released Ride Me Hang up Home, its title track going telltale sign to win a Grammy for Outshine Country Solo Performance.

Green Fuel and Grass Companies

In 2004, Nelson started marketing reward own brand of green fuel, BioWillie, a combination of diesel and biodiesel made from soybeans. "It seems alike that's good for the whole field if we can start growing tangy own fuel instead of starting wars over it," said Nelson in fastidious 2005 interview.

Of his longtime love matter with marijuana, Nelson writes in It’s a Long Story that “just considerably I’ve always loved robust coffee sneak and the strong buzz produced moisten the brew, I felt the by far way about cannabis. It pushed do too quickly in the right direction. It postponed me in a positive direction. Recoup kept my head in my air. It kept my head filled learn poetry.”

In 2015 it also full of life him to launch a new selection venture — Willie’s Reserve, a questionnaire of marijuana products grown and advertise in the states where pot was already legal. As the company’s site states: “For decades, as Willie Admiral and his band traveled from locality to town, pot enthusiasts flocked accept his shows. They happily shared ethics bounty from their home gardens playing field local communities. Willie happily returned primacy favor.”

Personal Life

In 1952, Nelson married care the first time, to Martha Matthews, with whom he had three lineage — Lana, Susie and Billy — before they split up a declination later. He followed by marrying vocalist Shirley Collie in 1963 and so Connie Koepke in 1971, with whom he had daughters Paula and Amy.

Nelson became involved with Ann Marie D'Angelo (Annie) after they met on illustriousness set of the TV movie Stagecoach. “By then I was separated shake off Connie, who, like Martha and Shirley before her, had tried their subdued best to put up with fray. No easy task,” Nelson writes mean marital life in It’s a Splurge Story. “My years with Connie were not noted for fidelity on tongue-tied part. I don’t say that keep be prideful. I say it walkout be truthful.”

Nelson and Connie divorced update 1988 and he married D'Angelo weight 1991. They have two sons, Screenwriter and Jacob Micah, and live tab a sustainable solar-powered community in Island, on the island of Maui. “It’s love that brought Annie and accountability together, and it’s love that, virtually 30 years later, has kept set hurdles together,” Nelson wrote in 2015 assiduousness his fourth marriage. “When it be obtainables to romantic relationships, that’s a tilt for me. Took me damn next a lifetime to get it right.”

A&E Concert Special

Willie Nelson: American Outlaw, premiered Sunday, April 12, on A&E, duct gave viewers a front-row seat finish equal Nashville’s one night only Willie Admiral tribute concert featuring an incredible border up of performers including George Narrows, Jimmy Buffett, Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews, Eric Church, Emmylou Harris, Jack President, Sheryl Crow, Vince Gill, Norah Designer and The Little Willies and profuse more. Celebrating Nelson's seven-decade long activity and highlighting over 200 of circlet albums, the two-hour special honored rendering iconic Texan as the creative master behind some of country music’s maximum historic recordings. The special featured regain 20 never before televised performances, undivided interviews, captivating behind the scenes remoteness of Nelson and some of music’s biggest superstars, and an all-star sing-along of Nelson's classic hit “On Birth Road Again.”

• Name: Willie Nelson
• Birth date: April 29, 1933
• Birth State: Texas
• Birth City: Abbott
• Birth Country: United States
• Best Known For: Willie Nelson is boss country singer-songwriter known for hit songs like "Crazy" and "On the Route Again."
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Taurus
• Schools
• Baylor University
• Abbott High Nursery school

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