Four timeless moments that capture the spirit, soul, and rebel heart of Willie Nelson’s legendary career. ML
It’s hard to believe, but Willie Nelson is 92 years old. Nelson turns 92 on April 29, making him one of the oldest and most successful living country music legends. In honor of his birthday, we found four of Nelson’s most iconic moments, throughout his 60-plus year career.
1. Starting Farm Aid
Nelson has devoted countless hours and resources to Farm Aid. In 1985, Nelson organized the first Farm Aid concert, working alongside Neil Young and John Mellencamp, to help support farmers, and allow them to keep working their own land.
Farm Aid is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and has raised more than $80 million so far, thanks in large part to the Farm Aid annual concerts, where Nelson still performs.
2. Bailing Dennis Hopper Out Of Jail
This is one wild story. Back in the ’70s, actor Dennis Hopper got drunk — like, really, really drunk. He was in Taos, New Mexico, and was jailed because of drugs and alcohol. An unlikely hero — namely, Nelson — ultimately bails him out.
“In Taos I had gotten real drunk and proceeded to win a lot of acid in a poker game,” Hopper recalls (via Saving Country Music). “So I swallowed the acid and saw weird dangerous sh– going on, and I pulled my pistol out of my boot and shot up the plaza. I was ranting and raving in the jail. People were out to get me, man, and here came the sheriff saying Willie Nelson had come and paid my bill and was waiting outside. I was free to go with him.”
3. Maintained His Love For Marijuana
Marijuana is now legal in some states, but Nelson was a fan of, and advocate for the use of marijuana when its presence could land him in jail — and sometimes did. Nelson’s police report shows five times Nelson faces charges, the last coming in 2010. Nelson willingly went to jail for six ounces of marijuana. Although he could have spent time behind bars, he was later released on bond, facing probation instead.
4. Surviving A Plane Crash
Nelson might just be immortal. He is one of very few people who can say they walked away from a plane crash, but Nelson did just that in 1970. Golf pro Larry Trader recounts the harrowing incident in Nelson’s 2000 Willie: An Autobiography.
“Willie was flying into the landing strip near Happy Shahan’s Western town that they used for the Alamo movie set,” Trader remembers (via American Songwriter). “Happy is watching the plane coming in, knowing Willie is on it. The plane hits a big chughole in the strip and flips over on its side and crashes.”
While it could have been a big deal, for Nelson it was just another ordinary day.
Reporters quickly gathered at the site, shocked to see Nelson alive and well.
“Why, this was a perfect landing,” Nelson told the gathered crowd of journalists. “I walked away from it, didn’t I?”
