During his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Willie Nelson gave a speech urging Hall of Fame voters to induct two of his fellow Highwaymen as well. Nelson performed three songs during the induction: “Whiskey River” accompanied by Chris Stapleton, “Crazy” with his fellow inductee Sheryl Crow, and “On the Road Again” joined by Crow, Stapleton, and Dave Matthews. Nelson then gave his speech.
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He began by naming some of the great artists he collaborated and was friends with, such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Booker T. Jones, Leon Russell, and Ray Charles, saying in part, “When Ray and I got together, we never asked each other what to do or whether to do a soul song or a rock song or a country song. We just sang the songs we loved.”
[Watch Willie Nelson & Family Now on Paramount Plus]
Of The Highwaymen, Nelson said, “That was fun, with Cash and Waylon and Kris Kristofferson. And Now that Johnny [Cash] and I have been inducted, I want to give a plug for Waylon [Jennings], who played with Buddy Holly, and Kris [Kristofferson], who sang so many hits, to be inducted too.”
Nelson then thanked his family band and his longtime manager, as well as his wife Annie for “keeping me out here doing what I was put here to do.”
Willie Nelson Urges Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to Induct His Fellow Highwaymen
The Highwaymen, consisting of Nelson along with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson, were active from 1985 to 1995, putting out three studio albums and a handful of compilations. They also starred together in the 1986 movie Stagecoach.
[RELATED: Why Does Willie Nelson Celebrate Two Birthdays A Year?]
Nelson recently reached another milestone in 2023: turning 90. A star-studded celebration was held in his honor in April in Los Angeles and was released on DVD and vinyl on December 15. Some of the artists who performed with or in honor of Nelson for his birthday included Beck, Bob Weir, Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, George Strait, Jack Johnson, Jamey Johnson, Keith Richards, and Kris Kristofferson, among many others.
Additionally, a new docuseries, titled Willie Nelson & Family, premiered on December 21 on Paramount+. The four-part series chronicles Nelson’s life, from his successes to his struggles. It tackles his early days in Nashville and his songwriting successes, to darker moments such as affairs, attempted suicide, and addiction.
Don’t Miss: Willie Nelson is going on tour in 2024. Get your tickets here.
Featured Image by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
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