Willie Nelson Singer, guitarist and composer Date of Birth: 30.04.1933 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Musical Beginnings
2. Raychecks and Bud Fletcher Band
3. Early Career and Liberty Records
4. Grand Ole Opry and RCA
5. Atlantic Records and Columbia Records
6. Stardust and Beyond
7. Across the Borderline and Later Releases

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

William Hugh "Willie" Nelson was born on April 30, 1933, in Abbott, Texas. After the death of his father and the disappearance of his mother, Willie and his sister, Bobbie, were raised by their grandparents, who encouraged their musical interests. Willie chose the guitar and wrote his first song at the age of seven, while Bobbie played the piano.

Raychecks and Bud Fletcher Band

Nelson's first band was The Raychecks, and later he and Bobbie joined fiddler Bud Fletcher's ensemble. Willie quickly emerged as the frontman. In the mid-1950s, Nelson worked as a disc jockey for a local radio station before moving to Vancouver in 1956, where he recorded his debut single, "Lumberjack," which sold around 3,000 copies.

Early Career and Liberty Records

For several years, Nelson worked as a DJ, performed in clubs, and wrote songs for other artists. In 1960, he moved to Nashville and soon signed with Liberty Records. He released successful singles and performed with The Cherokee Cowboys. However, when the label closed its country music division a few years later, Nelson switched to RCA.

Grand Ole Opry and RCA

Nelson joined the Grand Ole Opry and continued to record for RCA until the late 1960s. However, by the early 1970s, his career had stalled, and he decided to quit country music. He returned to Texas and began performing pop-rock-folk, which attracted the attention of Atlantic Records.

Atlantic Records and Columbia Records

Nelson's alliance with Atlantic Records was short-lived, and in 1975, he moved to Columbia Records, who gave him complete artistic freedom. He released numerous albums in the following five years, charting both in the country and pop charts. In 1978, he recorded a duet album with fellow country icon Waylon Jennings.

Stardust and Beyond

Released in 1978, Nelson's album "Stardust" remained on the charts for ten years and sold over four million copies. In the mid-1980s, he joined the supergroup Highwaymen with Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. Nelson continued to record solo albums and became involved in various charities.

Across the Borderline and Later Releases

In 1993, Nelson released "Across the Borderline," featuring collaborations with artists like Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, and Sinéad O'Connor. This was followed by "Spirit" (1996), "Teatro" (1998), produced by Daniel Lanois, and the instrumental "Night and Day" (1999). "Milk Cow Blues" (2000), his first pure blues album, featured guest appearances from B.B. King, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Keb' Mo', and Susan Tedeschi.