Willie Nelson, beloved 89-year-old country music legend, recently released his highly-awaited autobiography, Me and Paul: Untold Stories of a Fabled Friendship. This captivating book has struck a chord with fans all over, bringing to light not only his remarkable bond with his right-hand man, Paul English, but also Nelson’s own personal struggles.

Within the pages of his autobiography, Nelson openly shared the ups and downs of his seven-decade friendship with Paul English. However, it was his admission of a past suicide attempt that truly shocked and concerned both his family and his loyal supporters. Nelson revealed how he once found himself at his lowest point, contemplating ending it all, seeking solace by laying his head on a lonesome train line.

Thankfully, Nelson found the strength to carry on and didn’t let that dark moment define him. In fact, it was a pivotal turning point in his career. A mere fifteen minutes after his failed suicide attempt, Nelson walked back into the bar, determined to embrace life and pursue his passion for music. This setback fueled his determination to succeed and propelled him into the music industry.

According to an unnamed source close to Nelson, he felt the constant pressure to work hard, fearing that everything he had achieved would slip away. Remarkably, Nelson revealed that he would rather die doing what he loves most – performing on stage – than to end his own life. His dedication to his craft is truly awe-inspiring.

In a recent interview with Parade, Nelson expressed his perspective on life, sharing that he has no plans of quitting the music industry anytime soon. Instead, he chooses to focus on living in the present and making the most of the precious time he has left. Nelson’s outlook is undeniably optimistic, and he believes in embracing the good in life and continually striving for even better times ahead.

As a testament to his indomitable spirit, Nelson remains active and passionate about his craft. He reveals that one of his daily rituals includes writing a song titled “Pay for the Day.” For Nelson, this creative process, combined with light exercise, such as a short jog, brings immense joy and satisfaction. He even discovered that singing is beneficial for his lungs, particularly during these challenging times of confinement.

With his ever-positive mindset, Nelson encourages others to adopt a hopeful perspective, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. The music icon plans to take his own advice and continue performing live shows, sharing his passion and spreading joy to audiences around the world.

Willie Nelson’s journey is one of resilience, friendship, and an unwavering zest for life. His autobiography not only offers a glimpse into his extraordinary life but reminds us to cherish every moment and find inspiration in the face of adversity. Let Willie Nelson’s spirit ignite our own sense of wonder and determination as we navigate our own paths.

Willie Nelson Recognized as Oldest Recording & Touring Musician

Since pretty much every living soul on the planet right now was born, raised, and is living at a time when Willie Nelson was not just making music, but was a relevant artist and a revered character throughout popular culture, it’s easy to overlook or take for granted just how remarkable this achievement is.

At 90 years old, Willie Nelson isn’t just continuing to perform upon occasion, or to release a song or two here or there for sentimentality. He’s still playing dozens of shows a year, and releasing albums at a two-per-year clip. And those albums aren’t just also-rans. Willie Nelson is still writing original songs, and his 2022 album A Beautiful Time won the Grammy Award for Best Country Album, and deserved it.

Willie Nelson’s most recent album Bluegrass is up for a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in 2024. He’s considered a top contender for the award to be handed out on Sunday, February 4th.

Sure, if you go see Willie Nelson in concert, you have to go into it knowing that he’ll be sitting on a chair, that he might struggle to make it through certain phrases before losing his breath, and it may take him a bit to warm up. But guess what folks, HE’S 90 YEARS OLD. For his age, Willie Nelson isn’t just doing remarkable things, he’s doing things that are unprecedented in music.

In a recent rundown by Codigolibre, Willie Nelson was named the oldest musician “still touring, recording, and kicking.” This puts a country legend at the top of the heap. Here is their Top 10:

Willie Nelson – Age 90 – April 29th, 1933
John Mayall – Age 90 – November 29th, 1933
Frankie Valli – Age 89 – May 3rd, 1934
Herb Alpert – Age 88 – March 31st, 1935
Buddy Guy – Age 87 – July 30th, 1936
Smokey Robinson – Age 83 – February 19th, 1940
Tom Jones – Age 83 – June 7th, 1940
Ringo Starr – Age 83 – July 7th, 1940
Cliff Richard – Age 83 – October 14th, 1940
Dionne Warwick – Age 83 – December 12th, 1940

In country music specifically, there are a few entertainers still around older than Willie. Leroy Van Dyke is 94 years old (DOB 10/4/1929), but is not currently touring or recording. Perhaps the oldest living and touring performer in country music is Buck White of The Whites at 93 (DOB 12/13/1930). He continues to appear with the singing trio on The Grand Ole Opry, along with appearances at Kentucky Thunder shows backing Ricky Skaggs. But The Whites have not released new music since 2005’s Give a Little Back.

But one important artist overlooked on the now viral list of oldest musicians is Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. At age 92 (DOB 8/1/1931), he even has Willie Nelson beat. And yes, Ramblin’ Jack still tours (four dates on the calendar of 2024 so far), and he released an album of Woody Guthrie songs in 2023. He might not be as prolific or as well-known as Willie, but Ramblin’ Jack definitely deserves a mention.

As a youngster, Willie played in Bob Wills’ Texas Playboys, and was performing in bars and honky tonks at the age of 13. He wrote songs like “Crazy” for Patsy Cline, and “Hello Walls” for Faron Young in the ’60s. Willie Nelson later played bass for Ray Price in the Cherokee Cowboys before launching his own career. Though Willie was involved in music from an early age, he was a late bloomer in many respects, and didn’t see major success until he was in his 40s. But here 50 years later, he’s still at it.

Let’s all take a step back and appreciate this achievement, and consider ourselves thankful we’ve been able to spend our lives with Willie Nelson … and knock on wood that we’ll still have many more years to share with this man on earth.