He’s the longhaired, bandana-wearing guitarist who captured the hearts of audiences worldwide and changed the face of country music. A pioneer of outlaw country, Willie Nelson’s rough and tumble grit, coupled with raw emotion and honesty, breathe life to his songs, making him a legend in his own right.
Born in Abbott, Texas, Willie Nelson has an impressive six-decade career with over 60 studio albums in addition to live recordings, soundtracks, and collaborations with other artists and more. One of the most decorated musicians of all time, Willie is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, and has received numerous accolades for his work.
 Known as a songwriter of rare and precise elegance, Willie was the mastermind behind 1960‘s classics like Crazy (Patsy Cline), Hello Walls (Faron Young), and Night Life (Ray Price), to name a few. In the 1970’s, however, Willie’s unique style didn’t fit the traditional classic country mold, making him an “outlaw” in the country music scene. Despite his resistance to conform, Willie’s popularity continued to grow, and in 1975, his first album for Columbia Records titled The Red Headed Stranger, catapulted Willie into stardom. Just a few years later, he released Stardust, a multi million dollar album and contributed to the compilation Wanted: The Outlaws, which featured legendary greats like Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter. Willie and Waylon’s popular collaboration Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys earned the two artists a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1978.By the end of the decade, Willie was a musical phenom, revolutionizing outlaw country. His success continued into the 1980’s, topping country charts and also making a name in pop music. On the Road Again and Always On My Mind were some of the many songs that emerged during this decade. Willie collaborated with Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash to form the group The Highwaymen. The group recorded and toured for a number of years. While Willie Nelson has etched his name in music history, he is also the co-founder of Farm Aid, an annual series of fundraising events, which began as an all star benefit concert in 1985, to raise money for American family farmers. Having grown up on the farm himself, Willie continues to lobby against horse slaughter and produces his own blend of biodiesel fuel. Throughout the years, Willie has continued to make music, collaborating with other musicians, and in 1993, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Willie has also appeared on the big screen, starring in many films including The Electric Horseman and Honeysuckle Rose, to name a few. In May of 2012, Willie released Heroes, his first album for Legacy Recordings. The album spent five weeks at number one on the Americana Radio Chart. The same year, he released his book, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die, which landed in the Top 10 on The New York Times’ Best Seller List. Recently, the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center announced that one of the greatest entertainers of all time, Willie Nelson, will be coming to the Santa Clarita Valley for the special event, “Willie Nelson and Family: Live in Concert”. “The PAC will be the place to be on April 5, and we are thrilled to have him in Santa Clarita, if only for just for one night,” states Evy Warshawski, Executive Director of Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center. College of the Canyons Chancellor Dr. Dianne Van Hook adds, “Featuring an icon like Willie Nelson at the Performing Arts Center demonstrates our commitment to bringing the best in entertainment to Santa Clarita.” With his 1969 Martin N-20 named “Trigger” in tow, signature braided ponytails, bandana and outlaw country tunes, I, too, look forward to welcoming the legendary music icon to our stage.  Photos by David McClister
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