Willie Nelson was born on April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas, and was raised, with his older sister Bobbie, by his grandparents. The siblings grew up playing music together, though in high school, Nelson picked up another hobby and played football.
Willie and his sister were dear friends and would play music together for decades to come. In 2020, they released a book together: Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of the Family Band.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Nelson became a disc jockey and started making his own music. By the early 1960s, Nelson had relocated to Nashville.
He released his first two records while signed to Liberty Records: 1962's ...And Then I Wrote and 1963's Here's Willie Nelson.
Nelson first married high school sweetheart Martha Matthews in 1952, and they divorced 10 years later. Nelson married his second wife, singer Shirley Collie, in 1963, and the two remained together until 1971.
Nelson began playing bass for Ray Price's band. Price was just one of the artists who would record songs written by Nelson that turned into hits, including "Night Life" sung by Price and "Crazy" for Patsy Cline.
In 1964, Nelson signed a record deal with RCA Records.
In the early 1970s, Nelson decided it was time to move back to Texas and considered pursuing pig farming, The New York Times noted. In 1972, though, he met the Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler at a party back in Nashville and was offered a contract, the paper said.
From there ,he recorded albums like 1973's Shotgun Willie, 1974's Phases and Stages and 1975's Red Headed Stranger.
Along with country star Waylon Jennings, Nelson would lead a subgenre of music known as "outlaw country."
Nelson established his band, The Family, in 1972, which consisted of Bobbie, English, Mickey Raphael, Bee Spears and Jody Payne.
In addition to his expansive career as a musician and songwriter, Nelson brought his talents to the silver screen. His first film role came in 1979's The Electric Horseman.
Since then, he has landed numerous screen roles, including Stagecoach, Half Baked and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
Nelson has won numerous Country Music Association Awards.
In 1979, Nelson visited the White House with singer Charley Pride to present President Jimmy Carter with a special award for his support of country music -- as voted on by the Country Music Association Board.
Nelson welcomed daughter Paula with Connie Koepke in 1969 (while he was still married to Shirley Collie, prior to their 1971 divorce). Nelson and Kopeke had another daughter, Amy, in 1973.
He met and became involved with his fourth wife, Annie D'Angelo, while still married to Kopeke, and the pair went their separate ways in 1988.
"I messed up another marriage. My wandering ways were too much for any woman to put up with," he wrote in his memoir. "I'll always love Connie."
By the time Paula arrived in 1961, Nelson was already a father of four (though he didn't learn about his eldest daughter Renée until decades after her birth).
Renee Butts (née Lynda Renee Barley) was born on Jan. 22, 1953, to Nelson's friend Mary Haney; it wasn't until much later on -- more than 50 years -- that he learned of their lineage.
He shares daughters Lana Nelson Fowler, Susie Nelson and son William "Billy" Hugh Nelson Jr. with his first wife, Martha Matthews. Billy died by suicide in 1991.
Paula and Amy were his daughters by Koepke; he and D’Angelo welcomed two sons, Lukas Autry Nelson in 1988 followed by Jacob "Micah" Nelson in 1990.
In 1985, Nelson founded Farm Aid alongside fellow singer-songwriters Neil Young and John Mellencamp. The annual benefit concert raises money for farmers across the U.S. The organization's mission, per its website, "is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America."
The first Farm Aid took place in Champaign, Illinois, and featured performances by artists including Billy Joel, B.B. King, Roy Orbison and Bob Dylan.
In 1985, Nelson joined President Carter in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Nelson and Carter had a friendship spanning decades; when talking about his visits to the White House,Nelson said: "Jimmy and I would jog together and hang out...we had a lot of fun."
Cooper then asked Nelson about smoking marijuana on the roof of the White House; this topic is discussed in detail within his autobiography -- and Carter himself confirmed it was with his son James Earl "Chip" Carter.
"I don't remember," Nelson demurred.
Willie Nelson posed with Dolly Parton during the Grand Ole Opry 60th Anniversary TV special, which aired in 1986.
Nelson had become a member of the legendary Opry in 1964.
In 1988, Nelson took the stage with his friend Ray Charles for a CBS TV special broadcast in 1988.
The two men collaborated on the song "Seven Spanish Angels" together.
In 1990, Nelson was forced to file for bankruptcy after it was revealed that he owed $16.7 million in taxes to the IRS. The government seized some of his belongings, including furniture from his cabin.
He released an album called The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories? in an effort to help pay back the debt, and did so successfully.
In addition to being a solo act, Nelson was also a part of the country group the Highwaymen, which was made up of music legends: Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.
In 1998, Nelson was awarded at the Kennedy Center Honors alongside John Kander and Fred Ebb; Shirley Temple Black; Andre Previn; Bill Cosby (Cosby's award was rescinded in 2018).
Nelson met Annie D'Angelo in 1986; they welcomed their first son Lukas Autry in 1988 and second son Jacob "Micah" in 1990 before tying the knot in 1991.
Here, the couple poses together at the 42nd annual Grammy Awards in 2000. Nelson has been nominated for 56 Grammys and has won 12.
Nelson, an avid fan of marijuana who even has his own curated line called Willie's Reserve, has also long been an advocate of its legalization. In 2007, he played Freedom Fest, which raised money for the Marijuana Policy Project, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and WAMM's hospice and support services.
In a 2025 interview with Forbes, he revealed that he "can't smoke anymore" in order to keep his lungs healthy on the road. Instead, he opts for a few edibles.
In Nelson's 2012 memoir, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road , he talked about how he learned about his eldest daughter , Renée Butts .
"I have an old , dear friend , Mary Haney , who I'd lost touch with but recently met again after decades," he wrote . "Turns out Mary and I had a child together called Renée . It also turns out Renée has a daughter , Noelle , who has a daughter , [Jordyn] , who I am happy to now call my great-granddaughter ."
He added , "My newly discovered family sure took some time to surface."
Butts died in August 2017.
In 2013 , Nelson was joined by many of his family members at Hard Rock International's artist spotlight benefit concert for the singer at Hard Rock Cafe in New York City . There were nephew Trevor Nelson , daughter Paula Nelson , son Micah Nelson , son Lukas Nelson , granddaughter Raelyn Nelson , his wife Annie , daughter Amy Nelson , granddaughter Rachel Fowler , great grandson Dean Hubbard , granddaughter Martha Fowler and daughter Lana Nelson .
Nelson was joined onstage by his sister Bobbie on New Year's Eve at Austin City Limits Live in 2014 in Austin.
Willie once told PEOPLE his sister was "the most naturally talented of all the Nelsons."
Bobbie died in 2022 at age 91.
As a man of many talents , it's no surprise that a fifth-degree black belt is part of Nelson's résumé .
In 2015 , Nelson was honored with the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song .
Lukas and Micah , who are both musicians themselves , pose with their dad at the Producers and Engineers Wing 12th annual Grammy week event honoring Nelson in 2019 in Los Angeles .
Nelson has long been politically active (with causes including marijuana legalization , LGBTQ+ rights and anti-war legislation) , and here he took the stage to perform during a rally to support voting rights in his home state of Texas at the state capitol in 2021 .
After more than half a century in the industry , Nelson is still performing . A month before his 90th birthday , he performed at the Autism Speaks Light Up The Blues 6 Concert in Los Angeles .
He later celebrated the milestone birthday with friends and colleagues with a set of shows at the Hollywood Bowl on April 29 and 30 , 2023 .
He was joined by a slew of artists including Kacey Musgraves , Beck , Chris Stapleton , Leon Bridges , The Chicks and Snoop Dogg .
"I can't say thank you enough to all the people who are taking time out of their daily lives to come out and help me sing 'Happy Birthday' on my 90th birthday," Nelson told PEOPLE. "I really appreciate it. I love them all for doing it."
Upon the release of Nelson's 76th solo studio album in November 2024 , he shared the current state of his health in an interview with the Associated Press .
"I'm 91 plus , so you know I'm not worried about [death] . I don't feel bad . I don't hurt anywhere . I don't have any reason to worry about dying ," he said . "And I feel like I'm in pretty good shape physically ."
The country superstar had no plans to put down the guitar . In 2024 , he performed at the Farm Aid music festival and during a campaign event for presidential candidate Kamala Harris , and he recorded a short interlude for Beyoncé’s Album of the Year-winning Cowboy Carter . The next year , he embarked on the Outlaw Music Festival Tour with Bob Dylan , Sheryl Crow and more .
He will release his 79th solo studio album Dream Chaser on May 29 , 2026 , a month after he turns 93 .