Willie Nelson

If ever the words "living legend" were more than just public relations bluster, the application would be to Willie Nelson. The iconic Texan is the creative genius behind historic recordings like "Crazy," "Hello Walls," "Red Headed Stranger," and "Stardust." His career has spanned six decades. His catalog boasts more than 200 albums. He's earned every conceivable award and honor that can be bestowed to a person in his profession. And he has also amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor and activist.
In many ways, however, the weighty distinction "living legend" does Willie Nelson a disservice, for it discounts the extent to which he is a thriving, relevant and progressive musical force. Also, he has established himself as a top television ratings draw.
Willie Nelson embarked on a warmly received tour of minor league baseball parks with Bob Dylan. He played Farm Aid in Seattle, an event he continues to support after co-founding it in 1985. A USA Network special became the highest-rated live musical event in the history of cable television.
Way back in 1962, Willie Nelson scored his first two top 10 hits as a recording artist for Liberty, but struggled for a breakthrough for the remainder of the decade. Disillusioned with Nashville and with his label RCA's insistence on lush, string-laden arrangements, he moved back to Texas in 1972. Emboldened by the rock and folk music becoming popular in Austin, Willie and his music began to change. His first Atlantic album, 1973's "Shotgun Willie" got the attention of music critics if not the masses, and the 1974 follow-up "Phases & Stages" helped him build a loyal following. The breakthrough he'd been seeking for the better part of two decades came in 1975 when "Red Headed Stranger" became one of country's most unlikely hits. The acoustic concept album vaulted Willie Nelson to country music's top ranks, much to the surprise of Music Row. Willie's convention-busting stardom, combined with the concurrent popularity of maverick Waylon Jennings, prompted journalist Hazel Smith to dub the trend "Outlaw Music" and a movement was underway.
RCA seized on the phenomenon, compiling an album of previously recorded material from Willie, Waylon, Tompall Glaser and Jessi Colter. "Wanted: The Outlaws" spawned the Nelson/Jennings duet "Good Hearted Woman" and quickly became the best selling album country had ever seen.
A fixture on the singles charts over the next several years, Willie's star rose even further with the 1978 releases "Waylon & Willie" and "Stardust." The former included "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys." Nelson's stardom soon translated to another medium with roles in feature films including The Electric Horseman, Honeysuckle Rose, Stagecoach and many more. And the hits kept coming.
"On The Road Again" reached the top of the charts in 1981, "Always On My Mind" was a crossover smash in 1982, and a duet with Latin pop star Julio Iglesias, "To All The Girls I've Loved Before," raced up the charts in 1984. Willie enlisted Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash for the Highwaymen album, released in 1985.
The Nineties brought more success, and one notable challenge. A $16.7 million dollar bill from the IRS forced Nelson to sell many of his assets, including homes, and resulted in the release of "The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories." Willie cleared the debt by 1993, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame that same year.
But enshrinement didn't slow his creative energy, and the decade produced artistic triumphs including "Across The Borderline." The album featured Bob Dylan, Sinead O'Connor and Paul Simon among its many guests. His association with Universal continued with "Lost Highway," with 2003 proving to be another landmark. In addition to turning 70, Willie Nelson released "Run That By Me One More Time," a collaboration with Ray Price featuring new recordings from their combined 50 years of catalog. Columbia/Legacy released "The Essential Willie Nelson," which spans his earliest recordings as well as the celebrated Island/Def Jam material. "Willie Live & Kickin'" also hit stores following his top-rated USA Network Memorial Day cable special. The album included guest vocalists ranging from Norah Jones to Toby Keith, with whom Willie Nelson performed his No. 1 single, "Beer For My Horses."
Nelson's 2003 endeavors earned him four Grammy nominations to go with a career that has been recognized with eight Grammy wins, a President's Merit Award, a Grammy Legend Award and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2004, the Academy of Country Music recognized him with the Video of the Year Award for "Beer For My Horses," and the prestigious Gene Weed Special Achievement Award, honoring Nelson's "unprecedented and genre-defying contributions to popular music over his 50-year career."

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