Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American musician, actor, an… Read Full Bio ↴Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American musician, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. He was one of the main figures of outlaw country, a subgenre of country music that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.
Born during the Great Depression and raised by his grandparents, Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten. During high school, he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player. After graduating from high school in 1950, he joined the U.S. Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems. After his return, Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music. During this time, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in honky-tonks. Nelson moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he wrote "Family Bible" and recorded the song "Lumberjack" in 1956. He also worked as a disc jockey at various radio stations in Vancouver and nearby Portland, Oregon. In 1958, he moved to Houston, Texas, after signing a contract with D Records. He sang at the Esquire Ballroom weekly and he worked as a disk jockey. During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Hello Walls", "Pretty Paper", and "Crazy". In 1960 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and later signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price's band as a bassist. In 1962, he recorded his first album, ...And Then I Wrote. Due to this success, Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year. After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Nelson retired in 1972 and moved to Austin, Texas. The ongoing music scene of Austin motivated Nelson to return from retirement, performing frequently at the Armadillo World Headquarters.
In 1973, after signing with Atlantic Records, Nelson turned to outlaw country, including albums such as Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages. In 1975, he switched to Columbia Records, where he recorded the critically acclaimed album Red Headed Stranger. The same year, he recorded another outlaw country album, Wanted! The Outlaws, along with Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser. During the mid-1980s, while creating hit albums like Honeysuckle Rose and recording hit songs like "On the Road Again", "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", and "Pancho and Lefty", he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen, along with fellow singers Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.
In 1990, Nelson's assets were seized by the Internal Revenue Service, which claimed that he owed $32 million. The difficulty of paying his outstanding debt was aggravated by weak investments he had made during the 1980s. In 1992, Nelson released The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories?; the profits of the double album—destined to the IRS—and the auction of Nelson's assets cleared his debt. During the 1990s and 2000s, Nelson continued touring extensively, and released albums every year. Reviews ranged from positive to mixed. He explored genres such as reggae, blues, jazz, and folk.
Nelson made his first movie appearance in the 1979 film The Electric Horseman, followed by other appearances in movies and on television. Nelson is a major liberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which is in favor of marijuana legalization. On the environmental front, Nelson owns the bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil. Nelson is also the honorary chairman of the advisory board of the Texas Music Project, the official music charity of the state of Texas.
Nelson uses a variety of music styles to create his own distinctive blend of country music, a hybrid of jazz, pop, blues, rock and folk. His "unique sound", which uses a "relaxed, behind-the-beat singing style and gut-string guitar" and his "nasal voice and jazzy, off-center phrasing", has been responsible for his wide appeal, and has made him a "vital icon in country music", influencing the "new country, new traditionalist, and alternative country movements of the 1980s and 1990s".
In 1969, the Baldwin company gave Nelson an amplifier and guitar with their "Prismatone" pickup. During a show in Helotes, Texas, Nelson left the guitar on the floor of the stage, and it was later stepped on by a drunk man. He sent it to be repaired in Nashville by Shot Jackson, who told Nelson that the damage was too great. Jackson offered him a Martin N-20 Classical guitar, and, at Nelson's request, moved the pickup to the Martin. Nelson purchased the guitar unseen for $750 and named it after Roy Rogers' horse "Trigger". The next year Nelson rescued the guitar from his burning ranch.
Constant strumming with a guitar pick over the decades has worn a large sweeping hole into the guitar's body near the sound hole—the N-20 has no pick-guard since classical guitars are meant to be played fingerstyle instead of with picks. Its soundboard has been signed by over a hundred of Nelson's friends and associates, ranging from fellow musicians to lawyers and football coaches. The first signature on the guitar was Leon Russell's, who asked Nelson initially to sign his guitar. When Nelson was about to sign it with a marker, Russell requested him to scratch it instead, explaining that the guitar would be more valuable in the future. Interested in the concept, Nelson requested Russell to also sign his guitar. In 1991, during his process with the IRS, Nelson was worried that Trigger could be auctioned off, stating: "When Trigger goes, I'll quit". He asked his daughter, Lana, to take the guitar from the studio before any IRS agent arrived there, and then deliver it to him in Maui. Nelson then concealed the guitar in his manager's house until his debt was paid off in 1993.
Nelson is widely recognized as an American icon. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993, and he received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998. In 2011, Nelson was inducted to the National Agricultural Hall of Fame, for his labor in Farm Aid and other fund raisers to benefit farmers. In 2015 Nelson won the Gershwin Prize, the lifetime award of the Library of Congress. In 2018 The Texas Institute of Letters inducted him among its members for his songwriting. He was included by Rolling Stone on its 100 Greatest Singers and 100 Greatest Guitarists lists.
Born during the Great Depression and raised by his grandparents, Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten. During high school, he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player. After graduating from high school in 1950, he joined the U.S. Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems. After his return, Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music. During this time, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in honky-tonks. Nelson moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he wrote "Family Bible" and recorded the song "Lumberjack" in 1956. He also worked as a disc jockey at various radio stations in Vancouver and nearby Portland, Oregon. In 1958, he moved to Houston, Texas, after signing a contract with D Records. He sang at the Esquire Ballroom weekly and he worked as a disk jockey. During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Hello Walls", "Pretty Paper", and "Crazy". In 1960 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and later signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price's band as a bassist. In 1962, he recorded his first album, ...And Then I Wrote. Due to this success, Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year. After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Nelson retired in 1972 and moved to Austin, Texas. The ongoing music scene of Austin motivated Nelson to return from retirement, performing frequently at the Armadillo World Headquarters.
In 1973, after signing with Atlantic Records, Nelson turned to outlaw country, including albums such as Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages. In 1975, he switched to Columbia Records, where he recorded the critically acclaimed album Red Headed Stranger. The same year, he recorded another outlaw country album, Wanted! The Outlaws, along with Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser. During the mid-1980s, while creating hit albums like Honeysuckle Rose and recording hit songs like "On the Road Again", "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", and "Pancho and Lefty", he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen, along with fellow singers Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.
In 1990, Nelson's assets were seized by the Internal Revenue Service, which claimed that he owed $32 million. The difficulty of paying his outstanding debt was aggravated by weak investments he had made during the 1980s. In 1992, Nelson released The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories?; the profits of the double album—destined to the IRS—and the auction of Nelson's assets cleared his debt. During the 1990s and 2000s, Nelson continued touring extensively, and released albums every year. Reviews ranged from positive to mixed. He explored genres such as reggae, blues, jazz, and folk.
Nelson made his first movie appearance in the 1979 film The Electric Horseman, followed by other appearances in movies and on television. Nelson is a major liberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which is in favor of marijuana legalization. On the environmental front, Nelson owns the bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil. Nelson is also the honorary chairman of the advisory board of the Texas Music Project, the official music charity of the state of Texas.
Nelson uses a variety of music styles to create his own distinctive blend of country music, a hybrid of jazz, pop, blues, rock and folk. His "unique sound", which uses a "relaxed, behind-the-beat singing style and gut-string guitar" and his "nasal voice and jazzy, off-center phrasing", has been responsible for his wide appeal, and has made him a "vital icon in country music", influencing the "new country, new traditionalist, and alternative country movements of the 1980s and 1990s".
In 1969, the Baldwin company gave Nelson an amplifier and guitar with their "Prismatone" pickup. During a show in Helotes, Texas, Nelson left the guitar on the floor of the stage, and it was later stepped on by a drunk man. He sent it to be repaired in Nashville by Shot Jackson, who told Nelson that the damage was too great. Jackson offered him a Martin N-20 Classical guitar, and, at Nelson's request, moved the pickup to the Martin. Nelson purchased the guitar unseen for $750 and named it after Roy Rogers' horse "Trigger". The next year Nelson rescued the guitar from his burning ranch.
Constant strumming with a guitar pick over the decades has worn a large sweeping hole into the guitar's body near the sound hole—the N-20 has no pick-guard since classical guitars are meant to be played fingerstyle instead of with picks. Its soundboard has been signed by over a hundred of Nelson's friends and associates, ranging from fellow musicians to lawyers and football coaches. The first signature on the guitar was Leon Russell's, who asked Nelson initially to sign his guitar. When Nelson was about to sign it with a marker, Russell requested him to scratch it instead, explaining that the guitar would be more valuable in the future. Interested in the concept, Nelson requested Russell to also sign his guitar. In 1991, during his process with the IRS, Nelson was worried that Trigger could be auctioned off, stating: "When Trigger goes, I'll quit". He asked his daughter, Lana, to take the guitar from the studio before any IRS agent arrived there, and then deliver it to him in Maui. Nelson then concealed the guitar in his manager's house until his debt was paid off in 1993.
Nelson is widely recognized as an American icon. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993, and he received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998. In 2011, Nelson was inducted to the National Agricultural Hall of Fame, for his labor in Farm Aid and other fund raisers to benefit farmers. In 2015 Nelson won the Gershwin Prize, the lifetime award of the Library of Congress. In 2018 The Texas Institute of Letters inducted him among its members for his songwriting. He was included by Rolling Stone on its 100 Greatest Singers and 100 Greatest Guitarists lists.
Beautiful Texas
Willie Nelson Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Willie Nelson:
$ 1000 Wedding It was a $1000 wedding supposed to be held the…
'till I Gain Control Again Just like the sun over the mountain top you know…
(How Will I Know) I'm Falling In Love Again I'm falling in love again I never thought I would again I…
* A Horse Called Music High on a mountain in western Montana A silhouette moves cro…
* Is The Better Part Over Is the better part over? Has a ragin' river turned into…
03 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of…
07 Are You Sure Oh, look around you Look down the bar from you The lonely…
11 If You I could show the world how to smile I could be…
11 If You've Got The Money I've Got The Time If you've got the money honey I've got the time We'll…
A Dreamer Climb aboard a butterfly, An' take off on the breeze, Let yo…
A Dreamer's Holiday Climb aboard a butterfly, An' take off on the breeze, Let …
A Foggy Day A foggy day In London town Well, it had me low And it…
A Fool Such As I Pardon me, if I'm sentimental When we say goodbye Don't be a…
A Good Hearted Woman A long time forgotten are dreams that just fell by the…
A Horse Called Music High on a mountain in western Montana A silhouette moves cro…
A House Is Not a Home I walk up to my door and hate to turn…
A Little Unfair You want me to love just you While you love…
A Maiden Twilight falls, Evening shadows find, There 'neath the stars…
A Mansion on the Hill Tonight down here in the valley I'm lonesome and oh…
A Moment Isn Yesterday, as I talked with a friend in town, I forgot…
A New Way To Cry All my tears have fallen, I can cry no more. I've…
A Peaceful Solution There is a peaceful solution It's called a peace revolution …
A Penny For Your Thoughts Memories are haunting you And they're making you feel blue …
A Song for You Well I've been a lot places in my life and…
A Whiter Shade Of Pale We skipped the light fandango And turned cartwheels cross th…
A Woman's Love A woman's love goes deeper than the man's Into a place…
A Wonderful Yesterday Today's gonna make a wonderful yesterday One on which I know…
Abilene Abilene, Abilene, Prettiest town I've ever seen Women there …
Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive You've got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative…
Across The Borderline There's a land where I've been told every street is…
Afraid Afraid to tell you how much I care Afraid I'll…
After the Fire Is Gone Love is where you find it when you find no…
AIN No one to talk with, all by myself No one to…
Ain't Goin' Down On Brokeback Mountain Now I've been up the Chisholm Trail Been through Death Valle…
Ain't It Funny Well hello there My it's been a long,long time. How ya doi…
Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away Well hello there My it's been a long,long time. How ya doing…
Ain't Misbehavin' No one to talk with, all by myself No one to…
Ain't Neccessarily So You can't break your eggs to count your chickens And you…
Ain't Nobody's Business There is nothing I can do Nothing I can say That folks…
Aint Goin Down On Brokeback Mountain Now I've been up the Chisholm Trail Been through Death Valle…
Aint It Funny Well hello there My it's been a long,long time. How ya doi…
Alabam I went to a Turkey roast down the street The people…
Alice In Hulaland Alice in Hulaland Building castles in the sand Living life, …
All Of Me All of me, why not take all of me Can't you…
All In The Name Of Love Big Jim Butcher was the king of the hill he…
All Of Me All of me, why not take all of me Can't you…
All The Things You Are You are the promised kiss of springtime That makes the lonel…
Always Maybe I didn't love you Quite as often as I could…
Always Late Always late with your kisses Won't you come to my arms Sweet…
Always Now It's always now And nothing ever goes away Everything is her…
Always On My Mind Maybe I didn't love you Quite as often as I could…
Always Seem To Get Things Wrong Always seem to get things wrong I waited here a bit…
Am I Blue Am I blue am I blue ain't these tears in…
Amazing Grace Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch…
American Tune Many's the time I've been mistaken and many times confused Y…
And so Will You My Love The music's stopped, the crowd is thinnin' now. One phase o…
Angel Eyes Angel eyes angel eyes The ways of the world are feeble Don't…
Angel Flying To Close To The Ground If you had not have fallen Then I would not have…
Any Old Arms Won I'd like to rush into somebody's arms And lose myself inside…
Are There Any More Real Cowboy Are there any more real cowboys Left out in these hills? W…
Are You Shure You are my sunshine my only sunshine You make me happy…
Are You Sure Oh, look around you Look down the bar from you The lonely…
As Time Goes By This day and age we're living in Gives cause for apprehensio…
Ashamed I'm so ashamed of my eyes cause they still cry…
Autumn Leaves The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of…
Away in a Manger Away in a manger No crib for His bed The little Lord…
Baby It I really can't stay Baby, it's cold outside I've got to go…
Back To Earth I guess my heart just settled back to earth I rode…
Bad Breath Don't ever complain about nothin' Before we can walk, we all…
Band of Brothers We're a band of brothers and sisters and whatever On a…
Basin Street Blues No won't you come along with me Down the Mississippi We'll t…
Be That As It May It's not supposed to be that way You're supposed to…
Be There For You It's the way that you kiss me It's the way that…
Beautiful Annabel Lee I was a child and she was a child Yet our…
Because Of You Because of you there's a song in my heart because…
Beer Barrel Polka There's a garden, what a garden Only happy faces bloom there…
Beer for My Horses Well a man come on the 6 o'clock news Said somebody's…
Better Left Forgotten Sometimes when the night calls it a day And I wake…
Big Booty Big Booty She said I ain't gonna fix you no more…
Big Mamou Oh rainy day woman I've never seem to see you for…
Big River Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry, And I…
Bird on a Wire Like a bird on the wire, Like a drunk in a…
Black Night Nobody cares about me I ain't even got a friend Baby's gone…
Black Rose Way down in Louisiana amongst the tall grown sugar canes Liv…
Blackjack Country Chain I was sittin' beside the road in blackjack county Not knowin…
Blame It On the Good Times As you sit there in your loneliness, Confused as you must…
Blody Mary Morning Well, it's a bloody Mary morning Baby left me without warni…
Bloody Mary Morning Well, it's a bloody Mary morning Baby left me without warnin…
Blue Christmas I'll have a blue Christmas without you I'll be so…
Blue Eyes In the twilight glow I see her Blue eyes cryin' in…
Blue Hawaii Night and you And blue Hawaii The night is heavenly And you …
Blue Hotel I'd like to say that I tried It fits in with…
Blue Must Be The Color Of The Blues Up above me are the skies Like the twinkle in your…
Blue Skies Blue skies smilin' at me Nothin' but blue skies do I…
Blue Star You know I'll follow you to the end Whenever that is,…
Blues Eyes Crying In The Rain In the twilight glow I see her Blue eyes cryin' in…
BONAPARTE Met a girl that I loved In a town way down…
Border Song Holy Moses, I have been removed I have seen the spectre…
Born To Lose I'm born to lose I've lived my life in vain…
Both Ends of the Candle I've been trying so hard to forget you But this chore…
Both Sides Now Bows and flows of angel hair Ice cream castles in…
Both Sides Of Goodbye When you pack your clothes tonight, don't pack up all…
Boxcars Boxcar's my home, railroad my friend It's been that way sinc…
Brand On My Heart My troubled old heart dear is beating with pain, You've gone…
Bridge Over Troubled Water When you're weary and feeling small When tears are in your…
Bring It On They say there is no game without pain Well I must…
Bring It on Down to My House (yeah) (Come on now, bring it on down to my house,…
Bring Me Sunshine Bring me sunshine in your smile Bring me laughter all the…
Broken Promises I made myself a promise, the day you put me…
Bubbles In My Beer Tonight in a bar alone I'm sitting apart from The laughter a…
Buddy Laugh with me, buddy Jest with me, buddy Don't let…
Building Heartaches Each time that I hold you close, here in my…
Busted My bills are all due and the baby needs shoes And…
But Not for Me They're writing songs of love, but not for me A lucky…
Butterfly Butterfly, tell me if you even know If you're going where…
can Can I sleep in your arms tonight, lady It's so cold…
Can the Circle Be Unbroken I was standing by my window, On one cold and cloudy…
Can't Help It Today, I passed you on the street, And my heart fell…
Caribbean Have you ever been down to Haiti, when The summer sun…
Changing Skies There's a bird in the sky Flying high, flying high To…
Cherokee Maiden One night when the moon was bright on the moonlit…
Cisco Kid ) The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine The Cisco Kid…
City of New Orleans Riding on the city of New Orleans Illinois Central, Monday m…
Cold Cold Heart I tried so hard my dear to show that you're…
Cold November Wind A cold November wind can cut right through your soul Even…
Cold War With You The sun goes down and leaves me sad and blue The…
Columbus Stockade Blues Way down in Columbus Georgia wanna be back in Tennessee Way…
Come On Back Jesus Come on back Jesus (come on back Jesus) Come on back…
Come On Time Time is my friend, my friend The more I reject it,…
Come On Up To The House Well the moon is broken The sky is cracked Come on up…
Come Rain Or Come Shine I'm gonna love you Like nobody's loved you Come rain or come…
Comes Love I can hear the wind blowing in my mind Just the…
Convict and the Rose Within my prison cell so dreary Alone I sit alone…
Corrine Corrina Corrine Corrina, where you been so long? Corrine Corrina, wh…
Country Willie You called me country Willie The night you walked away With …
Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly (Fond of Each Other) Well, …
and many more tracks by Willie Nelson.
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Azamat Sharshenaly uulu
Beautiful Texas.
You have all read the beautiful stories,
Of the countries far over the sea.
From whence came our ancestors,
To establish this land of the free.
There are some folks who still like to travel,
To see what they have over there.
But when they go look it's not like the book,
And they find there is none to compare.
To beautiful, beautiful Texas.
Where the beautiful bluebonnets grow.
We're proud of our forefathers,
Who fought at the Alamo.
You can live on the plains or the mountains,
Or down where the sea breezes blow.
And you're still in beautiful Texas.
The most beautiful place that I know.
You can travel on beautiful highways,
By the cities, the village, the farms,
Or fly above on the skyways,
And the beauty below you will charm.
White cotton, green pastures, blue rivers,
Golden wheat fields and fruit trees that bear.
You can look till doomsday and then you will say,
That Texas has beauty to spare.
Beautiful, beautiful Texas.
Where the beautiful bluebonnets grow.
We're proud of our forefathers.
Who fought at the Alamo.
You can live on the plains or the mountains.
Or down where the sea breezes blow.
And you're still in beautiful Texas.
The most beautiful place that I know.
And you're still in beautiful Texas.
The most beautiful place that I know.
Sonja Leon
My Mom is suffering from dementia, but she still sings every lyric of this beautiful song. She will be 90 this year and was born in Galveston Texas.
Ylluesaio 11
Beautiful beautiful Texas!
Buddy Lowe
Sonja Leon, My aunt was around that age when she got dementia. She sang in church all her life in trios and quartets. Even at the end of her days she could sing each song without music or lyrics and never miss a word just as beautiful as ever.
dst
Galveston, oh, Galveston,
I still hear your seawinds blowing;
I still see her dark eyes glowing.
Another epic song.
May God give your Mother strength & calm.
Lee Danielson
My Grandfather wrote this song and loved Texas very much. It would be fitting that "Beautiful Texas" should be the song of Texas. It has it all.
Patricia Dusek
So Wilbert Lee "Pappy" O'Daniels is your grandfather! It was January 1933 when that song was 1st performed by Pappy and his band The light Crust Doughboys! Which included Bob Wills and Milton Brown in that group. Later in years the band became his Hillbilly Boys. This song was also Pappy O'Daniels theme song during Pappy's campaign for Governor of Texas in 1939. That's great to know he is your grandfather. In 1929 the Texas Legislature adopted "'Texas Our Texas'" as the Texas State song! Yes I too think that "Beautiful Texas" would have been a great song for our state!
Johnny Salter
W. Lee O'Daniel
houstonannie
+Lee Danielson That's really cool your grandfather wrote this song!
Alex
What a beautiful song it is.
Ava Ruiz
I'm going to do this song on stage in two days I love this song so much and I love Texas and it is the most beautiful place I know