Given that Willie Nelson is such an omnipresent icon, his fans likely know everything about him. But, for the more casual listener, find four facts below that might surprise you about the country legend.
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1. He Celebrates Two Birthdays a Year
Thanks to a mixup with the county clerk, Nelson celebrates two birthdays a year. Nelson was born close to midnight on April 29. Because of how close it was to April 30, the county clerk couldn’t file the birth certificate until the day after. Nelson decided to make the best of the situation.
“I was born before midnight on the 29th but it didn’t get registered in the county courthouse until the next day, the 30th,” Nelson once explained. “So, it went out officially as the 30th. So I just do both days.”
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2. “On the Road Again” Was Written on an Airplane Barf Bag
Musicians often strike while the iron is hot. If they have an idea, they’ll stop anything and everything to get it down on paper, which can often make for some interesting stories. In Nelson’s case, one of his biggest hits, “On the Road Again” was written on an airplane barf bag. In many ways, that origin is apt. Nelson made use of whatever he could while traveling to put his thoughts on paper.
3. He Recorded an Album To Pay Off His Tax Debt
In 1990, Nelson amassed millions in tax debt. Famously, his house was raided for assets, but even that couldn’t settle his vast debts. To make up the difference, Nelson recorded a slightly snide album The IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories. The album flew off the shelves, successfully settling the score with the IRS.
4. He Went Back Into a Burning House To Get His Weed and His Beloved Guitar
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Nelson once went back into a burning house to save his weed and his guitar, Trigger. Not just anyone would be brave enough to face potential death, but for the things he loved the most, Nelson faced the flames.
“I wasn’t about to lose a couple of pounds of good pot,” he once explained. “Sometimes disruption and even material destruction can help you rethink your priorities.”
(Photo by Mike Coppola/WireImage)
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