At 92 years old, Willie Nelson is a living legend in the country music world. He has penned and recorded some of the most memorable songs in the genre’s history. As a result, many fans list him among the greatest living songwriters. Outside of music, people know Nelson as one of the world’s foremost cannabis connoisseurs. However, the latter may changed somewhat in the future.
Recently, Nelson sat down with Forbes to talk about his latest album, life on the road, and more. During their conversation, the Red-Headed Stranger revealed that he no longer smokes the Devil’s lettuce. Additionally, he shared his picks for the two greatest country songs ever written.
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Willie Nelson Doesn’t Smoke Weed Anymore
Nearly everyone who knows who Willie Nelson is knows he enjoys getting stoned. Some even partially attribute his longevity to his love of the green stuff. Unfortunately, though, those who were hoping to one day toke up with the “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” singer might be out of luck.
“Well, I can’t smoke anything anymore. My lungs have already said, ‘Don’t do that,’” Nelson revealed. “So, I don’t really do anything now except a few edibles,” he added.
Nelson’s Picks for the Best Country Songs Ever Written
Willie Nelson released his most recent album, Oh What a Beautiful World, in April. The album sees Nelson covering 12 songs penned by Rodney Crowell. During the interview, Nelson revealed what made him want to do an album of Crowell’s songs.
“One of the greatest country songs ever written Rodney wrote. It’s called ‘Til I Gain Control Again,’ and he’s a great writer,” Nelson said. “He doesn’t write bad songs.”
Nelson didn’t cover “Till I Gain Control Again” on his most recent album. However, he has released a couple of renditions of the song. He included it on the 1978 live album Willie and Family Live. The live cut of the song also appears on the 1981 compilation Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits (and Some That Will Be). He and Waylon Jennings recorded the song as a duet for their 1983 collaborative album Take It to the Limit.
“The other greatest song country-wise is George Jones ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today.’ Those are, in my opinion, the two greatest country songs. And Rodney is a great writer,” Nelson said.
Featured Image by CARLOS RAMIREZ/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
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