Born in Abbot, Texas in 1933, Nelson has been active in the music industry since 1956. He has produced around sixty music albums and is synonymous with the American country music scene. Apart from his music ventures, he has also starred in over thirty films. Nelson is a firm supporter of biofuels and has actively campaigned for the legalization of marijuana. The winner of multiple awards, including a Life Time Achievement Award, Nelson has become an American icon over the years.
Music Career
Despite not finding initial success as a musician, Willie Nelson continued to work hard to succeed in the industry. He moved to Nashville in 1960 but was unable to find a label to launch him. However he was introduced to country legend Ray Price and became a bassist in his band, the Cherokee Cowboys. During this time some of Nelson’s songs became hits. These tracks were composed by Willie for other singers. Among these are the hugely successful “Crazy”, sung by Patsy Cline and “Funny How Time Slips Away” by Billy Walker. In August 1961, Nelson finally signed a contract with Liberty Records and got the chance to record his own songs. He capitalized on the opportunity and produced his first two successful singles the following year. “Willingly” and “Touch Me” gave him his first two Top Ten singles. In 1962, Nelson released his first studio album “…And Then I Wrote” under the same record label. A period of relative staleness followed for Nelson. Despite the fact that he was producing music, it was not being well received in the main stream media. He switched recording labels but success was still eluding him.
Success
After taking a break from music, Willie Nelson decided to return to recording and soon signed a contract with Atlantic Records. Under the label he produced some of his best known work, starting off with the 1973 album “Shotgun Willie.” Despite getting excellent reviews, the album was not commercially successful. His next album “Phases and Stages” did much better commercially and produced the hit single “Bloody Mary Morning” Nelson signed with Columbia Records following the release, since they offered him complete creative control of his work. The freedom granted by the label paid off brilliantly as he produced his best work to date, the hugely successful concept album, “Red Headed Stranger.” The 1974 release was both commercially popular and critically acclaimed and gave Nelson his first number one single, “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”
Following his newfound success, Nelson teamed up with fellow country artist Waylon Jennings and embarked on the outlaw movement. In 1976, they released the Wanted! The Outlaws. It is the first ever Platinum certified album in the history of the country music genre. In the middle of the 1980s, Nelson teamed up with Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash to form the Country super group, The Highwaymen. The band was hugely successful and released multiple platinum selling records. They extensively toured all over the world and eventually disbanded in 1995.
Awards and Accolades
Willie Nelson has won ten Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, nine Country Music Association Awards, five Academy of Country Music Awards, two TNN/Music City News Awards and two Broadcast Music Incorporated Awards. During the 46th Country Music Association Awards, he became the first recipient of the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ which has also been named after him.