Willie Nelson turns 89 today, and his musical career stretches back to the age of 6, when he got his first guitar. After a short stint in the military and a brief college stay at Baylor, Nelson bounced thru several jobs and eventually settled in as a radio DJ. It was then that he wrote some of his earliest popular songs, leading him to move to Nashville and take a job as a songwriter. Among Nelson’s first successful songs were ‘Crazy’, recorded by Patsy Cline, and ‘Hello Walls’ recorded by Ferlon Husky.
Nelson’s own recordings were not well received in Nashville, and it took a move back to Texas and work with other Texas musicians to bring Willie Nelson’s style of country music to wider audiences. After increasingly successful albums in the early 70’s, Nelson, along with Tompall Glaser, Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter released ‘Wanted! The Outlaws’, which would be the first country album ever to sell one million copies.
Nelson’s solo work and his involvement in the band The Highwaymen led to a string of successes on the Country charts, and regular crossovers to the Pop charts as well.
This led to Willie Nelson being one of the most recognizable artists in country music today. Nelson has also championed many causes, including founding the Farm Aid concerts along with John Mellencamp and Neil Young. The first concert raised about $10 million to help family farmers and the organization has raised millions more over the years.
Willie Nelson continues an active personal and performing life, earning a martial arts black belt at the age of 81, and releasing his latest album today.
