Willie Nelson

Many artists conform to singing and recording norms and never land the elusive career-making hit, while others excel by following those same genre guidelines. And there are some that tread the perilous path of reinvention, creating a new genre through their sheer determination to experiment and push boundaries. Willie Nelson's biggest contribution to country music is undisputedly the popularization of outlaw country, a genre borne out of frustration at the formulaic recordings emanating from 60s Nashville.

Willie Nelson had at one point retired altogether after early musical failures, but the festering hippie scene glorified anti-establishment heroes and Nelson finally found appreciation for his eclectic sound. Critical and commercial success has blessed the rocker from Abbott and his iconic image hasn't diminished as he has experimented with jazz, folk and rhythm and blues in the last couple of decades. Nelson is a standout environmentalist and liberal activist, and also starred in movies in his heyday. The sight of a bandana-clad long haired Willie Nelson crooning to his famous tunes accompanied by his trusted grizzled guitar "Trigger" gives a sudden rush to fans with Willie Nelson Tickets that have grown up with his memorable hits.

Willie Hugh Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas in 1933 during The Great Depression. His mother and father abandoned him and his sister in their infancy. They were brought up by their grandparents, who received musical training through a mail-order course. Willie Nelson grew up to play guitar by seven, performing gospel numbers with his piano-playing sister early on. Hank Williams, Ray Price and Lefty Frizzell were his early inspirations as he used to sneak off during cotton picking season to play at honky tonks, bars, and taverns. His sister met and married fiddler Bud Fletcher and Willie played with them in their band ?The Texans'. He finished high school to join the USAF for eight months, but withdrew with back problems. He then worked as a country DJ in Fort Worth's KCNC in 1954, before dropping out of Baylor University looking to make a career out of music.

When he did eventually get into Nashville with the help of Hank Cochran who sealed a publishing deal with Pamper Music, he ended up as a talented songwriter, penning famous hits like Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and Billy Walker's "How Time Slips By". Willie Nelson joined Ray Price's band before he started a string of top 25 singles in the late 60s. At the end of his RCA Records contract, Nelson retreated to Austin, but the burgeoning hippie scene rejuvenated him. He wrote and released Shotgun Willie to great acclaim in 1973. The outlaw country genre truly arrived over the next decade, especially in his collaboration with Waylon Jennings and Nelson released a score of chart-toppers. He also starred in films, including The Electric Horseman and Honeysuckle Rose. Outlaw country's breakthrough success prompted its pioneers to get together, and he teamed up with Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson to form the uproariously successful super-group ?The Highwaymen'.

In 1990, Willie Nelson landed in hot water following the disclosure that his accountants Price Waterhouse had not been paying his taxes for years and had most of his assets seized by IRS. He managed to barely pay off his debts after detailing 1992's The IRS Tapes album sales to the IRS. Nelson has since experimented with multiple genres in critically acclaimed albums.

After almost 50 years in the business, Willie Nelson has recorded 67 studio albums, 7 live albums, 37 compilations and 27 collaborations. Fourteen of these have hit #1. Notable among them is the groundbreaking Shotgun Willie, Red Headed Stranger (2xPlatinum; yielded his first #1 "Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain") and Stardust (notable because of its varied jazz, folk and classical content). His collaborations were extremely successful. 1976's Wanted! The Outlaws with Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser received country's first-ever Platinum certification, while The Highwaymen also released a Platinum album. He has 40 million US album sales. Nelson received Kennedy Center Honors and has won 10 Grammy, 8 CMA and 5 ACM Awards.

Nelson's outlaw country pioneering act drew great fanfare in his early tours, as did his inimitable stylish outlook and worn out Martin N-20 guitar "Trigger". He will next perform for fans with Willie Nelson Tickets at Duquoin and Grand Island.Willie Nelson's off-center jazz suffused delivery was thought out of place earlier, but immense dedication has seen him create a niche for himself. Fans have been scrambling for Willie Nelson Tickets to get a chance to pay tribute to the master.