Willie Hugh Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas on April 30, 1933, the son of Myrle and Ira D. Nelson. However, due the hardscrabble days of the depression, Willie and his older sister Bobbi were raised by their grandmother.
Willie Nelson’s first exposure to music was as a child singing gospel songs in the Methodist church he attended with his grandmother.
Early Musical Influences
On a Willie Nelson biography web site, Willie is quoted as saying, “I was raised and worked in the cotton fields around Abbott with a lot of African-Americans and a lot of Mexican-Americans, and we listened to their music all the time. I guess that's why I was influenced a lot by those around me--there was a lot of singing that went on in the cotton fields."
Nelson got his first guitar at the age of six and soon started writing his own songs. A few years later, he played his first professional gig with a local polka band. Later Willie joined the band, Bud Fletcher and the Texans and played the local club circuit.
After graduating high school in 1950, Nelson enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, but was forced to leave due to back problems. He attended Baylor University for a while, but quickly dropped out to take a job as a radio disc jockey.
Willie Nelson, The Songwriter
Willie worked for several years as radio disc jockey and played gigs in his spare time. He continued writing songs, producing some of his most famous works—including Night Life, Crazy, and Funny How Time Slips Away—in the late 1950s.
In 1960, Nelson moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he got a job as a songwriter for Pamper Music, earning about $50 a week. In 1961, Hello Walls, recorded by Faron Young became the first Willie Nelson composition to become a hit record.
Other hits quickly followed including, Patsy Cline's renowned rendition of Crazy. Singer Ray Price also had a big hit with Nelson’s song, Night Life.
In his book, Country Music, U.S.A. published by the University of Texas Press, pages 396 to 398 author Bill C. Malone, states Willie wanted to become a singer, but his style and raspy voice didn’t seem to fit the Nashville style.
Willie Begins His Own Musical Legacy
In 1972, when he moved to Austin, Texas, Willie started performing at Outdoor Festivals and quickly recognized a younger, more hip audience. Nelson’s fame grew when he let his hair and beard grow long, wore a headband and an earring and dressed in faded blue jeans and sneakers.
Willie Nelson’s fame was cemented in 1975, with his number one hit single, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain from the album, Red Headed Stranger. The song also earned Willie his first Grammy award. Ironically, Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain was written not by Willie Nelson, but by musician, composer, Fred Rose.
Because of his earlier exposure to ethnic and black music, Willie progressed to performing older songs with his own jazz inflections and his inventive, clean, single string guitar playing. His take on such songs such as Stardust and Georgia on My Mind gave a new boost to the old favorites.
In 1985, Willie Nelson teamed with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson to form The Highwaymen. Their self-titled album proved to be a big success for the group.
Willie’s empathy for the plight of the American farmer led to his organization of the first Farm Aid concert in 1985. The concerts continued for a number of years and raised more than $30 million to help farmers stay on their land.
Performing and An Acting Career Help Willie Overcome Personal Problems
For a time, Willie was beset with a series of personal problems including the 1990 seizure of most of his property by the government due to $16 million in back taxes. Through it all, Nelson continued to record, perform and even enjoyed a successful stint as a movie actor.
Willie Nelson’s has written more than 2,500 songs and released close to 300 albums. His unique style and image as a rough-hewn troubadour and philanthropist have made him a worldwide celebrity.
At an age, when most performers are slowing down Willie Nelson still tours and maintains a concert schedule of 150 to 200 dates a year. He is also still exploring newer musical genres by performing live in Amsterdam with rap, icon Snoop Dogg in May of 2008.
Sheila Aylesworth - Sheila Aylesworth is a retired Student Resource Assistant. Her responsibilities included positive, communication with people from all ...
