Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is one of the most legendary figures in American country music, an artist who redefined the genre with his distinctive style and rebellious attitude. Born on April 29, 1933 in Abbott, Texas, Nelson is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and actor, known for his unmistakable voice, his time-worn guitar "Trigger", and a career spanning more than seven decades.

Raised in a family of musicians, Nelson started playing guitar as a child and was already writing songs in his teens. After a brief stint in the Air Force, he worked as a DJ and musician in Texas clubs, developing his style and sharpening his songwriting skills. In the '50s and '60s he moved to Nashville, where he found success as a writer: his songs became hits in the voices of other artists, including "Crazy" (made famous by Patsy Cline), "Night Life" (recorded by Ray Price) and "Funny How Time Slips Away".

Despite his gift for songwriting, his solo career struggled to take off, since Nashville demanded a slicker sound than suited his rougher, more authentic taste.

Frustrated by the music industry's constraints, Nelson left Nashville in the early 1970s and settled in Austin, Texas, where he found an environment more open to blending country, rock and folk. He became one of the leading figures of the Outlaw Country movement, alongside Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, pushing back against the more commercial sound of the Nashville scene.

His first major success came with "Shotgun Willie" (1973), followed by the groundbreaking "Red Headed Stranger" (1975), which featured the famous "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain", his first number-one hit. From there, his career took off with albums like "Stardust" (1978), a surprising record of jazz and pop standards, and landmark collaborations such as The Highwaymen project (1985) with Jennings, Cash and Kristofferson.

In the following decades, Nelson cemented his status as a living legend with hit albums and singles such as "On the Road Again", "Always on My Mind" and "Pancho and Lefty" (with Merle Haggard). However, in 1990 he was hit by tax troubles with the IRS, which forced him to sell off most of his assets. He managed to overcome the crisis by releasing "The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories?" and stepping up his touring schedule.

From the 2000s onward, Nelson has kept releasing albums on a regular basis, working with artists from different generations across country, pop and rap. He has also distinguished himself through his activism, championing causes such as the legalization of marijuana, farmers' rights (with Farm Aid, an event he co-founded in 1985) and social justice.

Even today, despite his advanced age, Willie Nelson keeps recording new music and performing live, proving that his free spirit and love of music are stronger than time itself.