Willie Nelson is one of the most respected names in country music. For over 50 years, he has been an American institution and one of the faces of the Outlaw Country movement. After decades of performing, Nelson's still making music and recently released his 70th studio album, First Rose of Spring.
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Born during the Great Depression in Abbott, Texas, Willie Hugh Nelson fell in love with music as a child. After high school, Nelson joined the Air Force before briefly enrolling in college. Soon after he dropped out and began working as a disc jockey at a Texas radio station.
It was during that time that Nelson improved his skills as a songwriter, writing multiple songs that went on to become huge hits for other artists, including "Hello Walls" and "Crazy." After that, he moved to Nashville and embarked on his successful solo career as an artist.
After securing a record deal, Nelson released his first album in 1962 ...And Then I Wrote and then signed with RCA Victor. After initially wanting to retire in 1972, Nelson moved down to Austin, Texas where he felt reinvigorated by the city's music scene. Nelson reached country stardom in the 70s with Shotgun Willie (1973), Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978).
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He's a member of the Grand Ole Opry and formed the supergroup The Highwaymen with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. With hit songs like "Always On My Mind," "On The Road Again," and "To All The Girls I Loved Before," Nelson will always be a significant voice in the music industry. He's also become a notable voice in the road for the legalization of marijuana.
Over the years, Nelson has even dabbled in Hollywood with roles in films such as The Electric Horseman, Honeysuckle Rose, Thief and Barbarosa.
With such a celebrated career, what is Willie Nelson's net worth?
Willie Nelson Net Worth:
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Nelson has an estimated net worth of $25 million.
It would undoubtedly be higher had Nelson not had some monetary problems over the years. In 1990, his assets were seized by the IRS, who claimed that he owed $32 million. His assets were seized and the country legend was hit was a tax bill of $16.7 million.
Rolling Stone reports that Nelson had his daughter Lana take his iconic guitar, Trigger, to Maui so it wouldn't be taken.
Never one to give up, the resourceful singer-songwriter used his talent to tackle his financial burden. Nelson released The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories? in an effort to pay off his debts. He also starred in a string of commercials for Taco Bell to foot the tax bill. Johnny Cash even joined Nelson for a Taco Bell commercial. Not to be outdone, Outlaw Country comrade Waylon Jennings joined Nelson for a Pizza Hut ad.
Over the course of his life, Nelson has been married four times: Martha Matthews, Shirley Collie, Connie Koepke, and Annie D'Angelo. He's been married to D'Angelo since 1991. Across all of his marriages, he has seven children. He has two sons with D'Angelo who are both performers; Lukas, a country singer, and Jacob Micah.
This article was originally published in January of 2020.
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