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Prolific country music singer-songwriter
Willie Nelson, b. Abbott, Tex., Mar. 30, 1933, created "outlaw,"
or progressive, country music. Early in his career, Nelson
composed a number of hits for other artists, including "Crazy"
(1961) for Patsy Cline and "Hello Walls" (1961)
for Faron Young. As a vocalist, Nelson had some success through
the 1960s, but became discouraged with Nashville's penchant
for the sweet "countrypolitan" sound so alien to
his spare, blues-inflected style. His last Nashville album,
Yesterday's Wine (1969), was country's first concept album.
Nelson's "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain," a big pop
hit in 1975, started the country crossover movement. Nelson
recorded with fellow "outlaw" Waylon Jennings, Leon
Russell, and Ray Price, and startled fans in 1978 with Stardust,
a collection of Tin Pan Alley standards. In 1982, Nelson had
his biggest pop hit with "Always on My Mind." Nelson
recorded Highwayman with Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and
Johnny Cash in 1985.
Having participated in "We Are the World," the African
famine relief record, Nelson organized a similar concert event,
Farm Aid, which raised $10 million for American farmers and
was followed by Farm Aid II (1986) and Farm Aid III (1987).
In 1991, owing tax money to the U.S. Government, Nelson recorded
The IRS Tapes, a solo-acoustic collection.
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