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Five Questions I Hope Willie Nelson’s New Memoir Answers
Willie Nelson’s new autobiography It’s a Long Story has arrived, and is duly sitting in the “to read next” pile. Of all the people who might have been moved or paid to write about their life, Nelson is on the short list of must-reads for a number of reasons: one, he’s lived long enough to have something interesting to say; two, he’s one of the few people in the world who have started a bona-fide musical movement in Outlaw Country; three, he’s carved out an unapologetic, thoroughly American, and 100% individual persona over the course of his lengthy career, and at the age of 82 he’s still a vibrant and powerful force in our culture. Willie’s a fascinating man who has led a fascinating life, and there are five burning questions I desperately hope his memoir answers.
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How in the World Did “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” Happen?
In 2015, pairing an outlaw country star with a virtually unknown Latin crooner on a tepid ballad extolling the wonders of a love ’em and leave ’em lifestyle might seem like marketing gold (although in these low times, instead of Julio Iglesias’ effortless cool Nelson’s likely sidekick would be the ubiquitous Pitbull), but in 1975 this must have blown minds all across the country. Any song that includes the lyric “And every time I try to stay/The winds of change continue blowing/And they just carry me away” deserves to be remembered forever, but I’d still love to know precisely how this came together. The answer, as with many things Nelson, likely involves controlled substances.
What His Friendship with Snoop Dogg is Like
Every now and then, pop culture gives us a friendship that seems impossible, like Bill Clinton and Bush 42, or Manny Pacquiao and Jimmy Kimmel. Willie Nelson has been spending a lot of time with none other than Snoop Dogg, the rapper, former gang member, and marijuana enthusiast…wait, it’s all starting to come together now. Still, it would be fascinating to hear what it’s like for these two to actually have brunch or hang out watching Netflix over a long holiday weekend.
What’s It Like to Get a Call from the IRS Asking for $32 Million?
Nelson famously got dinged by the IRS in 1990 when the government seized his assets and presented him with a bill for back taxes totaling more than thirty million dollars. As it turned out, his accountants (the not exactly shabby Price Waterhouse) had “forgotten” to pay his taxes for years. Nelson worked out a deal and cleared his debt, but there has to be more to the story than what’s been public for years now. Thirty million bucks isn’t easily forgotten, and it must have galled the outlaw country star release an entire album (1991’s The IRS Tapes) with all profits going to the IRS.
How’s the New Business Going?
Like a craft beer enthusiast who converts his suburban garage into a brewery, Nelson recently went into business selling marijuana in areas of the country where it has been legalized. Willie’s weed is called “Willie’s Reserve,” and apparently it’s the proprietary blend he’s been offering to friends for years. There was a time when you had to be Merle Haggard to get some, but now all you need is a credit card, which is good news because by all reports being Merle Haggard is a tough road to follow.
What He Thinks of Country Today
Nelson made his name in country music by rebelling against the “rhinestone suits” (to steal a line from Waylon Jennings) of Nashville and the safe, bland country music they sold. His outlaw style made him a household name and one of the biggest country stars of all time. Modern-day country seems to have lost its edge again, dominated by mid-tempo ballads and rock- and pop-flavored songs designed for easy radio plays, so it would be interesting to hear what the Redheaded Stranger really thinks about it all.
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