Biography:An American country music singer and songwriter, Willie Nelson is also an author, poet, actor, and activist.
The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with commercial successes of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music.
He was one of the main figures of outlaw country, a subgenre of country music that developed in the late 1960s in reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound.
Prior to his success as a recording artist, he gained notice in music circles for his songwriting, penning the hits "Hello Walls", "Funny How Time Slips Away" , "Pretty Paper", and, most famously, "Crazy".
Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.
He was one of the organizers of Farm Aid, an all-star benefit concert for American farmers in 1985. The event has been held annually since, with Nelson participating in all of them.
1994-09-18 Farm Aid VII held in New Orleans, Louisiana; performers include Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Neville Brothers, Spin Doctors, Gin Blossoms, John Conlee, Kris Kristofferson, Al Hirt, and Pete Fountain
1996-10-12 Farm Aid IX held in Columbia, South Carolina; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Hootie and the Blowfish, The Beach Boys, Son Volt, Robert Earl Keen, Martina McBride, Jewel, and John Conlee
1997-10-04 Farm Aid 10 held in Tinley Park, Illinois; performers include Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Fogerty, Beck, Dave Matthews Band, Steve Earle, and The Allman Brothers
1998-10-03 Farm Aid 11 held in Tinley Park, Illinois; performers include Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Phish, Steve Earle, Wilco, and Del McCoury Band
1999-09-12 Farm Aid 12 held in Bristow, Virginia; performers include Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Band, Susan Tedeschi, Keb' Mo', Deana Carter, and Barenaked Ladies
2000-06-23 Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: The Chemical Brothers, Travis, and David Bowie headline; other performers include G. Love & Special Sauce, David Gray, Willie Nelson, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Macy Gray
2000-09-17 Farm Aid 13 held in Bristow, Virginia; performers include Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, CSN&Y, Arlo Guthrie, Sawyer Brown, Alan Jackson, Travis Tritt, North Mississippi Allstars, Barenaked Ladies, and Tipper Gore
2005-09-18 Farm Aid 18 held in Tinley Park, Illinois; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Arlo Guthrie, Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, James McMurtry, Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra, John Mayer, Kathleen Edwards, Kenny Chesney, Susan Tedeschi, Widespread Panic, and Wilco
2007-09-09 Farm Aid 20 held in Randall Island, New York City; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Merle Haggard, Billy Joe Shaver, Gregg Allman, The Allman Brothers Band, Counting Crows, Matisyahu, Guster, The Derek Trucks Band, Warren Haynes, and Jimmy Sturr
2010-06-23 Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: Gorillaz, Muse, and Stevie Wonder headline; other performers include Vampire Weekend, Snoop Dogg; Shakira, Willie Nelson, Ray Davies and The Pet Shop Boys
2012-09-22 Farm Aid held in Hershey, Pennsylvania; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Kenny Chesney, Jack Johnson, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Dale Watson, and Pegi Young
2015-11-18 American singer-songwriter Willie Nelson receives Library of Congress Gershwin Prize at the Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C.
2016-09-17 Farm Aid held in Bristow, Virginia; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Alabama Shakes, Sturgill Simpson, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Jamey Johnson & Alison Krauss, Margo Price, and The Wisdom Indian Dancers
2019-09-21 Farm Aid held in East Troy, Wisconsin; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Bonnie Raitt, Luke Combs, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Margo Price, Yola, Tanya Tucker, and Ho-Chunk Thundercloud Singers
2020-04-11 Farm Aid "At Home" held virtually; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Black Pumas, Bonnie Raitt, Boz Scaggs, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Edie Brickell, Jack Johnson, and Jon Batiste
2021-09-25 Farm Aid held in Hartford, Connecticut; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Bettye LaVette, Tyler Childers, the Wisdom Indian Dancers, and the Horse Hill Singers
2022-09-24 Farm Aid held in Raleigh, North Carolina; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews. Margo Price, Chris Stapleton, Sheryl Crow, and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
2023-04-30 Country singer Willie Nelson hosts second of two-night 90th birthday concerts for himself at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California; guest performers include Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, Keith Richards, Bob Wieir, Margo Price, Nathaniel Rateliffe, Dwight Yoakam, Sheryl Crow, and Billy Strings, among others
2023-09-23 Farm Aid held in Noblesville, Indiana; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews. Margo Price, Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros, Bob Dylan, The String Cheese Incident, and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
Jimmy Buffett
LeAnn Rimes
Patsy Cline
Christina Perri
Shania Twain
Syd Barrett