About the artist
Willie Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist raised by his grandparents in Abbott, Texas during the Great Depression. After early attempts at a smoother, pop-adjacent crooning style, he shifted decisively toward country music in the late 1960s, eventually becoming, alongside Waylon Jennings, one of the architects of the outlaw country movement that rejected Nashville's polished production for a rawer, more personal sound.
His landmark albums Shotgun Willie, Red Headed Stranger and Stardust redefined what a country record could be, mixing gospel, jazz and pop standards with his signature nylon-string guitar tone and behind-the-beat phrasing. Songs such as «On the Road Again», «Always on My Mind» and «Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain» became genre-defining hits, while his songwriting credit on «Crazy» (recorded by Patsy Cline) cemented his reputation as one of country's great tunesmiths. He was also a founding member of the supergroup The Highwaymen with Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, and recorded acclaimed duet albums with artists ranging from Merle Haggard to Wynton Marsalis.
Beyond music, Nelson is known for a long-running public battle with the IRS in the 1990s and for decades of outspoken advocacy for marijuana legalization, including his role as co-chair of NORML. With a discography spanning more than fifty years and dozens of studio and live albums, he remains one of the most recognizable and enduring figures in American popular music.
Popular tracks
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I’m My Own Grandpa
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On the Road Again
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Cruel World
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Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain
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Always on My Mind
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Seven Spanish Angels
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Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other
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Shotgun Willie
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Hands on the Wheel
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Buddy
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Red Headed Stranger
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Something You Get Through
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Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground
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Whiskey River
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Crazy
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Time of the Preacher
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Stardust
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Funny How Time Slips Away
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Pretty Paper
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The Party’s Over
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Family Bible
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Don’t Fence Me In
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Roll Me Up
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Hello Walls
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The Border
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Blue Skies
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Me and Paul
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Just Breathe
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Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer)
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There Shall Be Showers of Blessings
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It’s Hard to Be Humble
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City of New Orleans
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Uncloudy Day
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Ten with a Two
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Last Leaf
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Are You Sure
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Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
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Just as I Am
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Can I Sleep in Your Arms
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My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
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Frequently asked questions
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Discography
Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle
2025
Oh What A Beautiful World
2025
Last Leaf On The Tree
2024
The Border
2024
Bluegrass
2023
I Don’t Know A Thing About Love (The Songs of Harlan Howard)
2023
Live At Budokan
2022
A Beautiful Time
2022
The Willie Nelson Family
2021
That’s Life
2021
First Rose of Spring
2020
Ride Me Back Home
2019
My Way
2018
Last Man Standing
2018
Crazy
2018
Willie Stash, Vol. 2: Willie Nelson and the Boys
2017
God’s Problem Child
2017
For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price
2016
Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin
2016
Django and Jimmie
2015
Willie’s Stash, Vol. 1: December Day
2014
Band of Brothers
2014
To All the Girls...
2013
Let’s Face The Music And Dance
2013
The Classic Christmas Album
2012
Heroes
2012
Broken Promises
2012
Remember Me, Vol. 1
2011
Here We Go Again: Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles
2011
Country Music
2010
American Classic
2009
Lost Highway
2009
Willie and the Wheel
2009
One Hell Of A Ride
2008
Moment of Forever
2008
Two Men with the Blues
2008
Playlist: The Very Best of Willie Nelson
2008
Last of the Breed
2007
Who Do I Know in Dallas
2007
So Much to Do
2007
It’s Magic
2007
Songbird
2006
You Don’t Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker
2006
Covered by Willie
2006
The Complete Atlantic Sessions 73-74
2006
Countryman
2005
America’s Troubadour
2005
It Always Will Be
2004
Outlaws and Angels
2004
Live at Billy Bob’s Texas
2004
Nacogdoches
2004
Willie Nelson and Friends
2004
Picture in a Frame
2003
Run That by Me One More Time
2003
Legendary Willie Nelson
2003
Willie Nelson’s Classic Country Christmas
2003
Farther Along: The Gospel Collection
2003
Stars & Guitars
2002
The Great Divide
2002
The Eyes of Texas
2002
Rainbow Connection
2001
Homegrown Boy
2001
Milk Cow Blues
2000
Good Ol’ Country Singin’
2000
Me and the Drummer
2000
Red Headed Stranger (2000)
2000
Night and Day
1999
Honky Tonk Heroes
1999
Teatro
1998
16 Biggest Hits
1998
VH1 Storytellers
1998
Nashville Was the Roughest... [Box Set]
1998
Building Heartaches
1998
Hill Country Christmas
1997
How Great Thou Art
1996
Spirit
1996
Willie Standard Time
1996
Just As I Am
1996
Augusta
1995
Revolutions of Time... The Journey 1975-1993
1995
Just One Love
1995
Healing Hands of Time
1994
Six Hours at Pedernales
1994
Super Hits
1994
The Early Years - The Complete Liberty Recordings Plus More [Box Set]
1994
Gospel Favorites
1994
Christmas with Willie Nelson
1994
Moonlight Becomes You
1993
Across the Borderline
1993
A Classic & Unreleased Collection
1993
The IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories? Vol. 2
1992
The IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories? Vol. 1
1992
Any Old Arms Won’t Do
1992
Clean Shirt
1991
Born for Trouble
1990
Nite Life: Greatest Hits and Rare Tracks (1959-1971)
1990
A Horse Called Music
1989
What a Wonderful World
1988
Seashores of Old Mexico
1987
Walking the Line
1987
Island in the Sea
1987
Partners
1986
The Promiseland
1986
Half Nelson
1985
Me & Paul
1985
Funny How Time Slips Away
1985
Home Is Where You’re Happy
1985
Brand On My Heart
1985
Music from Songwriter
1984
City of New Orleans
1984
Angel Eyes
1984
Night Life
1984
Without A Song
1983
Take It to the Limit
1983
Tougher Than Leather
1983
Pancho & Lefty
1983
The Legend Begins
1983
The Winning Hand
1982
WW II
1982
Always on My Mind
1982
Old Friends
1982
Outlaw Reunion Vol. 2
1982
Outlaw Reunion Vol. 1
1982
Slow Down Old World
1982
Love and Pain
1982
In the Jailhouse Now
1982
Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits (& Some That Will Be)
1981
Somewhere over the Rainbow
1981
The Minstrel Man
1981
Family Bible
1980
Honeysuckle Rose (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
1980
San Antonio Rose
1980
Willie and David
1980
Danny Davis & Willie Nelson With The Nashville Brass
1980
The Electric Horseman (Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
1979
Pretty Paper
1979
Willie Nelson Sings Kristofferson
1979
One for the Road
1979
Willie and Family Live
1978
Stardust
1978
Waylon & Willie
1978
Face Of A Fighter
1978
There’ll Be No Teardrops Tonight
1978
To Lefty From Willie
1977
Willie: Before His Time
1977
1961
1977
The Troublemaker
1976
The Sound In Your Mind
1976
Wanted! The Outlaws
1976
Country Willie
1975
Red Headed Stranger
1975
Phases And Stages
1974
Spotlight on Willie Nelson
1974
Shotgun Willie
1973
The Best Of Willie Nelson
1973
The Willie Way
1972
The Words Don’t Fit The Picture
1972
Yesterday’s Wine
1971
Willie Nelson And Family
1971
Laying My Burdens Down
1970
Both Sides Now
1970
Columbus Stockade Blues
1970
American Rebel
Crazy: The Demo Sessions
Good Times
1969
My Own Peculiar Way
1969
Texas in My Soul
1968
The Party’s Over And Other Great Willie Nelson Songs
1967
Make Way For Willie Nelson
1967
Live Country Music Concert
1966
Country Favorites - Willie Nelson Style
1966
Country Willie - His Own Songs
1965
Here’s Willie Nelson
1963
... And Then I Wrote
1962