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Willie Nelson

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Willie Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas, in 1933 and grew up with his grandparents, who taught him music. At six he was given a guitar, and at seven he wrote his first song. As a teenager he sang in honky-tonks, worked as a disc jockey and in the 1950s wrote songs that became country standards: Funny How Time Slips Away, Hello Walls, Pretty Paper and Crazy, which became a big hit for Patsy Cline. In 1960 he moved to Nashville, played bass in Ray Price's band and in 1962 recorded his first album, ...And Then I Wrote.

Music and breakthrough

Nashville proved too businesslike for him. In 1972 he settled in Austin, where the hippie scene gave him new life. With albums such as Shotgun Willie in 1973 and above all Red Headed Stranger in 1975 he became a leading figure of outlaw country, a reaction against the tight Nashville production style. In 1975 Wanted! The Outlaws was released, with Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Tompall Glaser. Stardust from 1978 brought standards in his own loose style. Later he sang On the Road Again and Pancho and Lefty and, with Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, formed the supergroup The Highwaymen.

Influence

In 1985 he helped found Farm Aid, a concert for American farmers. In 1990 the tax authorities seized his possessions over a tax debt, which he paid off with the proceeds of the album The IRS Tapes. Nelson turned country into an open genre in which jazz, folk and pop fitted, with a drawling vocal style and a worn-out guitar as his trademarks.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Crazy in Willie Nelson's own version and notice how he lets the melody lag behind the beat. Can you hear how that free singing makes a familiar song sound new?

Discography

Studio albums

See also

Categories: ArtistsOutlaw country