Willie Nelson

Bio:
Willie Nelson (born Willie Hugh Nelson on April 29, 1933 in Abbot, Texas) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and activist. Willie was born during the Great Depression and was abandoned by his parents. His grandparents raised Willie, teaching him to sing. Willie learned guitar when he was six and wrote his first song at age seven. Willie joined the US Air Force in 1950 and enrolled in Baylor University in 1952 to study agriculture. When Willie worked as a radio DJ in Pleasanton, Texas, he used the station’s equipment to record his first two songs. Willie found success in 1961 with his songs “Willingly” and “Touch Me.” Willie struggled to find success in the ‘60s. After moving to Austin in the early ‘70s, Willie found a following for his brand of Outlaw country. In 1975, Willie’s Red Headed Stranger album resulted in massive critical and commercial success. He established himself as a country music icon, with multiple gold and platinum albums. Willie has acted in movies like Half Baked and Stagecoach. He also appeared in television shows like Miami Vice, Monk and King of the Hill.

Best Known For:
Willie Nelson is best known as a country music singer, with hit songs like “On The Road Again” and “Always On My Mind.”

Personal Life:
Willie mas been married four times. His first was to Martha Matthews in 1952. They divorced in 1962. They had three children: Lana, Susie and Willie “Billy Hugh Jr. His next marriage was to Shirley Collie in 1963. They split in 1971. He married Connie Kepke that year, and they had two daughters, Paula and Amy. After a divorce in 1988, Willie married Annie D’Angelo in 1991. They have two sons: Luke and Jacob. Willie is an avid marijuana user and have lent his voice to fighting pot prohibition laws. He is also a fifth-degree black belt in GongKwon Yusul and a second-degree black belt in tae kwon do.