Willie Hits the Road

Willie Hits the Road April 29, 2017

willie-nelson-tom-carlton

Willie Hugh Nelson was born on this day, the 29th of April, in 1933 in Abbot, Texas.

Not long after both his parents left and he was raised by his grandparents. When he was six his grandfather taught him to pick on a guitar. Soon he and his sister were singing gospel in local churches. He is said to have written his first song at seven. Willie was a member of a band, the Bohemian Polka, at nine.

He hated picking cotton, the principal possibility for making money at that time and place, and so began to sing professionally at thirteen. He went on to High School, where he excelled at sports and joined the future Farmers of America. During these years he sang with the Texans, a band led by his sister’s husband.

After High School he kicked around a bit, taking various jobs, and then in 1950 joined the Air Force. But before the year was out was medically discharged with chronic back problems. He began to attend Baylor University. But after two years dropped out to throw himself full-time into his musical career.

While working at odd jobs ranging from bouncer at a bar to a tree trimmer, Willie doggedly pursued his passion. His made his first recordings in 1955, according to Wikipedia, “The Storm Has Just Begun” and “When I’ve Sung My Last Hillbilly Song.” He couldn’t sell them. He made his first record in 1956, “No Place for Me.” It was a failure. In the meantime he continued to pick up odd jobs, washing dishes, door to door salesman, which he was good at and eventually became a sales manager for Encyclopedia Americana.

He continued to write and to sing, but nothing caught fire. After moving to Nashville in 1960 he began to find more steady work singing. His songs began to become hits with other singers including Ray Robinson and Patsy Cline. Her rendition of Willie’s song “Crazy” would become the all time most played Jukebox record in history.

In 1961 he had his first hits singing his songs “Willingly” and “Touch Me.” He also recorded his first album. After a period of success the work dried up. And he decided to retire from the music industry. Marriages, children, love, loss. All of that continued.

Then he moved to Austin, where he returned to the business. And with that country outlaw and wild and sustained success…

And today at eighty-three Willie Nelson just continues.

The painting of Willie Nelson is by Tom Carlton.


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