b'Just the Facts 96.3 Arizonas WILLIE NELSON Real Country Legends welcomes Willie Nelson,Willie Hugh Nelson was born April 30, 1933 in Abbott,Returning to his native Texas, heMay 20th Texas. Because he was born close to midnight, somesettled in Austin and quickly and 21st to sources list Willies birth date as April 29. The son ofbecame an important part ofthe Celebrity Myrle and Ira D. Nelson, Willie and his older sister,the citys country music scene,Theatre.Bobbie, were raised by their paternal grandparentsperforming regularly at its many Alfred and Nancy Nelson during the Great Depression.venues. In 1973 he also beganWith their grandmother, Willie and Bobbie attendedhosting his now-legendary Fourth ofGrammy Award for best country song and was written their towns small Methodist church, where theyJuly picnics. Inspired by Woodstock,while on an airplane with director Sydney Pollack.received their earliest exposure to music. Boththe gatherings became popular musical celebrations and Nelson found further crossover success with the album grandparents had a musical background, and theyincluded performances from other country music outlaws,Always on My Mind (1982) and the single To All the Girls encouraged Willie and his sister to play.such as Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings. InIve Loved Before (1984), a duet with Julio Iglesias. His honor of his contributions, in 1975 the Texas State Senateballad "Always on My Mind" won the Grammy Award for For his first-ever public performance, at 5 yearsdeclared July 4 to be Willie Nelson Day. The annual eventbest country vocal performance, and the album topped old, Nelson recited a poem. Because he was soremains a popular attraction to the present. both the country and pop charts.nervous about reciting the poem, Nelson picked Back on his home turf, Nelson also resumed his recording Adding to his resume of successful collaborations, the his nose until it bled, earning him the nicknameefforts, but in his own style and on his own terms. Soon,following year Nelson teamed up with Johnny Cash, "Booger Red." that unique approach won the long-haired, bandanna- Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson to form the wearing performer a devoted following. Released in 1973,country super group the Highwaymen. Their first release,Nelson got his first guitar at the early age of six and startedShotgun Willie is considered by many to be one of his bestHighwayman (1985) went platinum, and the title track writing his own songs at 7 years old. His famous gospel songalbums, showcasing his abilities as a singer, storytellerreached No. 1. The group would return to the studio two Family Bible draws from his early exposure to religiousand performer, despite the fact that it did not chart well.more times, for 1990s Highwayman 2 and 1995s The Road music. He sold the song to his guitar teacher for $50. The same would be true of 1974s Phases and Stages. Goes on Forever. Nelson learned to play guitar from his grandfather and at However, with 1975s Red-Headed Stranger, Nelson had But despite his ascent to musical stardom, Nelson never the age of 10 was performing at local dances. At just 13his real first taste of success. Not only did the album reachlost touch with his roots, and in 1985along with fellow years old, Willie performed with Bob Wills, the inventorNo. 1 on the country charts, it also crossed over to therockers Neil Young and John MellencampNelson helped of Western swing music. Pop Top 40. Among the highlights from the recording isorganize the first Farm Aid concert. With performancesA few years later, he started playing his first professionalthe Fred Rose penned number Blue Eyes Crying in theby scores of musics biggest names, it earned nearly $10 gigs with a local polka band, and in 1947 Nelson joined theRain, which gave Nelson his first No. 1 country hit andmillion to help family farmers keep their land, and to date, gospel group Bud Fletcher and the Texans, which alreadyearned him his first Grammy Award for best countrythe Farm Aid organization has earned tens of millions featured Bobbie on piano. They played the local club circuitvocal performance. more for its cause. In 2007, Ben & Jerry\'s released "Willie for the next few yearsand Bobbie and Bud married.Around this time, Nelsons collaborative endeavors foundNelson\'s Country Peach Cobbler Ice Cream," with aAfter graduating from Abbott High School in 1950, Nelsonfertile ground as well. Along with Waylon Jennings,portion of Nelson\'s proceeds donated to Farm Aid.enlisted in the United States Air Force and was stationedJessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser, he contributed to the In 1990 the Internal Revenue Service, claiming Nelson at Lackland in San Antonio. His military career was shortcompilation Wanted! The Outlaws which also achievedowed $16.7 million in unpaid taxes, seized his assets. To lived, however, as persistent back problems led to anboth critical and commercial success. Nelson would teamraise money, he recorded the album The IRS Tapes: Wholl honorable discharge less than a year later. Unsure of whereup with Jennings again a short while later to record theBuy My Memories in 1991. to turn next, Nelson enrolled in a farming program atpopular single "Mamas Don\'t Let Your Babies Grow Up On a much more personal level, the following year Nelson Baylor University. While pursuing his studies, he took oddto Be Cowboys," which won the 1978 Grammy Award forwas dealt a devastating blow when his son Billy committed jobs to make ends meet, including selling encyclopediasbest country vocal performance by a duo or group. suicide on Christmas Day in 1991.door to door, a cotton picker, saddle maker and becoming Nelson\'s 1978 album, Stardust, remained on the country Nelsons compassion and activist work extends into the a disc jockey in Texas, Oregon, and California.album chart for 540 weeksthat\'s 10 consecutive years.animal kingdom as well, and over the years he has beenWillie was signed to Pamper Music as a songwriter.For this album Nelson recorded his own takes on someinvolved with various animal-welfare groups, including His $50-a-week salary was paid from a raise that fellowAmerican standards and his cover of Hoagy Carmichaelthe Society for Protective Animal Legislation, Best songwriter Hank Cochran was due to get but hadand Stuart Gorrell\'s "Georgia on My Mind" earned Friends Animal Society and the Animal Welfare Institute. sacrificed so Willie could be signed. him his second Grammy Award for best country With the latter, Nelson has become deeply involved in aIn 1952, Nelson married for the first time, to Marthavocal performance.campaign to save horses from slaughter. His group Willie Matthews with whom he had three childrenLana, Susie, Riding high on his newfound musical successes, Nelsonand the Nelson Family (which features his sister, Billie) and Billybefore they split up a decade later. In 1963,brought his distinctive presence to the big screen as well.recorded the song Wild Horses to benefit the cause, and Nelson married singer Shirley Collie, but divorced herHe first appeared in The Electric Horseman (1979) starringNelson himself owns more than 50 of the animals, many in 1971 after becoming involved with Connie Koepke.Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, and the following yearof whom were rescues.They had two daughters together, Paula and Amy. Williehe starred in Honeysuckle Rose (1980), in which he played Now well into his 80s, Nelson has shown no signs and Connie then divorced in 1988 after Willie becamea veteran country musician performer torn between hisof slowing down, and since the dawning of the new involved with Ann Marie D\'Angelo. Nelson marriedwife (played by Dyan Cannon) and the young singer (Amymillennium he has remained both active and relevant. D\'Angelo in 1991 and they have been together ever since.Irving) who joins him on the road. Although the filmNelson has continued to tour heavily; sometimes playing They have two sons, Lucas and Jacob Micah, and live in awas only mildly successful, it featured the song "On theas many as 150 to 200 dates a year.sustainable solar-powered community in Hawaii, on theRoad Again," which earned Nelson an Academy Award Among his many honors, Willie was inducted into the island of Maui. nomination for bestCountry Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and, for his supportBy 1961 he was based in Nashville, Tennessee, andoriginal song. Nowof family farms, the National Agricultural Hall of Fame playing bass in Ray Prices band. Price was among theconsidered a trademarkin 2011. He accepted a Kennedy Center Honor in 1998, first of dozens of country, rhythm-and-blues, and popularNelson tune, it alsoand in 2015 he received the Library of Congress Gershwin singers to achieve hit records with Nelsons 1960s tunes,won that yearsPrize for Popular Song. which included the standards Hello Walls, Night Life, Funny How Time Slips Away, and, most famously,Willie Nelsons trusty acoustic guitar, named Trigger after cowboy star Roy Crazy. Willies first album was titled And Then I WroteRogers horse, is a 1969 Martin N-20. While Trigger carries the signatures and it included these songs. of many fellow artists, the first person to sign it was Leon Russell.In 1970, when his home in Ridgetop, Tennessee, burneddown, Nelson took it as a sign that things needed to change. 30 April 2019'