My first encounter with Willie Nelson was pretty much the same as every other fan of ol' Shotgun Willie: I was an 8-year-old watching an episode of King of the Hill.
(OK, I might be a tad younger than the average Willie fan.)
The straight-laced, Reagan-adoring Hank Hill idolizes Nelson for his Texan heritage and love of the guitar and golf. A conversation between Hank and his preteen son Bobby encapsulates the dichotomy that is Willie Nelson:
"I like Willie Nelson. He's got long hair. He's alternative," Bobby remarks.
"You take that back!" Hank retorts.
And therein lies the central charm of Willie Nelson — his ability to appeal to pretty much any demographic. He's a cultural chameleon without trying to be.
Born in Abbott, Texas, Willie Nelson was raised by his grandparents. Willie's grandfather gave him his first guitar when he was only 6 years old, and he wrote his first song at just 7.
Nelson and his family picked cotton in the summers, but Willie disliked picking cotton in the hot Texas heat. At 13, he started earning money by performing in taverns and honkey tonks, a job he'd continue throughout high school.
The early days of Willie Nelson's career actually take place in Washington state. He started working for a radio station in Vancouver, Washington, and singing in local clubs. It was here in the Evergreen state that Willie Nelson recorded his first two songs, though neither was successful.
It was a frustrating beginning. Nelson eventually moved back to Texas and sold Bibles, vacuum cleaners and encyclopedias door-to-door. His career as a salesman was short-lived, though, and he took another shot at being a professional musician, moving to Nashville in 1960.
He had better luck this time around. By August 1961 he was signed with Liberty Records. And by 1962 Nelson released his first album, And Then I Wrote. For the next 10 years, he continued his career as a songwriter and recording artist, but by age 39, Nelson grew tired of the corporate music scene of Nashville, where musicians had little to no creative freedom. He moved to Austin, Texas, in 1972, where he planned to retire.
Thankfully, Willie Nelson did not retire. Instead, he found a renewed passion for music in the Austin hippie music scene. Nelson's unique brand of country, distinguished by its folk and jazz influences, found a receptive audience of hippies and rednecks. He was at the forefront of country's newest movement: outlaw country.
Nelson's ultra prolific songwriting (he released his 75th album, The Border, this year at age 91) allowed him to draw fans from both the traditional country and rebellious world. He became both an acceptable country artist for progressive folks who generally thought the genre to be regressive and the lefty hippie whom red-blooded, red state country fans could adore. Nelson's music — and persona — can be considered a cultural middle ground that unites folks from all walks of life.
The key to Willie Nelson's appeal and his success is this independent streak. Like in that conversation between Bobby and Hank Hill, there's just something about him that strikes a chord between disparate groups of people.
You could call him an enigma, but he's really not all that complicated. He's just a man who stays true to himself, who doesn't sacrifice pieces of himself to fit into a niche. He's genuine, and that kind of integrity is priceless as an artist. Nelson's ability to make his fans contemplate goes beyond his persona.
Sure, he's old enough to be my great grandpa, but his music — like the man himself — has a timeless charm to it. His 1978 album Stardust, one of my favorites, showcases the full music-making capability of Nelson. He introduces his rugged takes on American classics like "Blue Skies" and "Georgia on My Mind," while simultaneously combining pop, country, jazz and folk to create an album that exemplifies Nelson's versatility.
Nelson's multifaceted approach to life is aptly expressed on the new album, The Border, with the title track sung from the perspective of a disillusioned Border Patrol agent. The narrator describes the difficult situation at the border while also sympathizing with the immigrants attempting to cross. This type of introspection is more important than ever in an increasingly polarized political climate.
This week I'll finally get to see Nelson ply his craft when he plays the Outlaw Music Festival alongside Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp at ONE Spokane Stadium on Aug. 9. And I'm sure I'll be surrounded by the diverse spectrum of PNW inhabitants all blending together for a night full of music that unites. ♦
Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Brittney Spencer • Fri, Aug 9 at 5:30 pm • $60-$383 • All ages • ONE Spokane Stadium • 501 W. Gardner Ave. • onespokanestadium.com
