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Singer/songwriter Willie Hugh Nelson was born April 30, 1933, in Abbott, Texas. After his parents separated, he and his sister were raised in that small farming community by their grandparents. |
Nelson developed an interest in music early, singing in church when he was 4 and writing his first song when he was around 7. At 9, he began playing in a local band. He served briefly in the Air Force after high school then spent time as a student at Baylor University.
In the mid-'50s, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas and Washington, played in honky-tonks and continued to write songs. In 1960, he moved to Nashville and signed as a songwriter with Pamper Music, joining Liberty Records in 1962. Among his songs recorded by other artists are "Four Walls" (Faron Young) and "Crazy" (Patsy Cline).
Nelson's second single for Liberty, "Touch Me" in 1962, took him to No. 7 on the country charts; this was his biggest-selling record until 1975. In the early '70s, Nelson returned to Texas, where he became a focal point of Austin's emerging progressive country music scene. In 1973 he founded the famed Fourth of July Picnics, a series of outdoor music festivals, at Dripping Springs, Texas.
In 1975, Nelson began an association with Columbia Records that would last into the '90s. In an unusual agreement for a country artist of the time, he received total control over what and how he recorded. His first album for Columbia was the stripped-down concept album, Red Headed Stranger. The first single from the album, "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," went No. 1.
1975 marked the beginning of a period of phenomenal critical and commercial success for Nelson. His album Stardust, which came out in 1978, stayed on the country charts for 10 years. In 1982, his album Always on My Mind won the CMA's album of the year award, while the title cut won for single of the year. During this period, he also won five Grammy Awards for his recordings of "Always on My Mind," "On the Road Again," "Georgia on My Mind," "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" (with Jennings) and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain."
Among Nelson's other honors: admission to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1973), the Country Music Hall of Fame (1993) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2001). The Recording Academy has also given him its Living Legend Award (1990) and Lifetime Achievement Award (2000). Nelson has been nominated for 43 Country Music Association awards and has won nine of them, including the entertainer of the year prize (1979).
Nelson has been politically active, co-founding the Farm Aid music festival in 1985 with Neil Young and John Mellencamp to raise awareness about and financial aid for family farmers. Nelson has co-headlined the event every year since its inception, except for 1988, when it wasn't held.
Nelson's albums -- nearly 300 titles -- have sold millions. Stardust has exceeded 5 million in sales. Three others have sold 4 million copies each, along with two double-platinum albums and nine platinum albums.
Jackie King
Guitarist Jackie King was born in San Antonio Texas, and started playing guitar at age nine. By the time he was a teenager, he was playing gigs around town and was already known for his phenomenal playing and ability to play in many styles. A jazz player at heart, the young phenom, immersed himself in the music of great guitarists like Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Les Paul, and Chet Atkins. He also admired Charlie Parker and began mimicking Bird's bebop sax lines on his guitar.
Over the year's, King has backed a number of music legends, including Bill Evans, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Jerry Garcia and Stevie Ray Vaughn. King got together with Willie Nelson in 1984 to record a jazz album, Angel Eyes. Since 1999, King has been a permanent member of Nelson's band, the Family.
Set List for Willie Nelson and Jackie King on Piano Jazz"Heart Of A Clown" (Kane, Nelson, Rollins)
"The Gypsy" (Reid)
"Rainy Day Blues" (Nelson)
"Nuages" (Reinhardt)
"All Of Me" (Marks, Simmons)
"Stardust" (Carmichael)
"The Great Divide" (Nelson, J. King)
"Crazy" (Nelson)
"There'll Never Be Another You" (Weir)
Willie Nelson & Family World Headquarters
Jackie King on the Web
In the mid-'50s, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas and Washington, played in honky-tonks and continued to write songs. In 1960, he moved to Nashville and signed as a songwriter with Pamper Music, joining Liberty Records in 1962. Among his songs recorded by other artists are "Four Walls" (Faron Young) and "Crazy" (Patsy Cline).
Nelson's second single for Liberty, "Touch Me" in 1962, took him to No. 7 on the country charts; this was his biggest-selling record until 1975. In the early '70s, Nelson returned to Texas, where he became a focal point of Austin's emerging progressive country music scene. In 1973 he founded the famed Fourth of July Picnics, a series of outdoor music festivals, at Dripping Springs, Texas.
In 1975, Nelson began an association with Columbia Records that would last into the '90s. In an unusual agreement for a country artist of the time, he received total control over what and how he recorded. His first album for Columbia was the stripped-down concept album, Red Headed Stranger. The first single from the album, "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," went No. 1.
1975 marked the beginning of a period of phenomenal critical and commercial success for Nelson. His album Stardust, which came out in 1978, stayed on the country charts for 10 years. In 1982, his album Always on My Mind won the CMA's album of the year award, while the title cut won for single of the year. During this period, he also won five Grammy Awards for his recordings of "Always on My Mind," "On the Road Again," "Georgia on My Mind," "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" (with Jennings) and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain."
Among Nelson's other honors: admission to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1973), the Country Music Hall of Fame (1993) and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2001). The Recording Academy has also given him its Living Legend Award (1990) and Lifetime Achievement Award (2000). Nelson has been nominated for 43 Country Music Association awards and has won nine of them, including the entertainer of the year prize (1979).
Nelson has been politically active, co-founding the Farm Aid music festival in 1985 with Neil Young and John Mellencamp to raise awareness about and financial aid for family farmers. Nelson has co-headlined the event every year since its inception, except for 1988, when it wasn't held.
Nelson's albums -- nearly 300 titles -- have sold millions. Stardust has exceeded 5 million in sales. Three others have sold 4 million copies each, along with two double-platinum albums and nine platinum albums.
Jackie King
Guitarist Jackie King was born in San Antonio Texas, and started playing guitar at age nine. By the time he was a teenager, he was playing gigs around town and was already known for his phenomenal playing and ability to play in many styles. A jazz player at heart, the young phenom, immersed himself in the music of great guitarists like Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, Les Paul, and Chet Atkins. He also admired Charlie Parker and began mimicking Bird's bebop sax lines on his guitar.
Over the year's, King has backed a number of music legends, including Bill Evans, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Jerry Garcia and Stevie Ray Vaughn. King got together with Willie Nelson in 1984 to record a jazz album, Angel Eyes. Since 1999, King has been a permanent member of Nelson's band, the Family.
Set List for Willie Nelson and Jackie King on Piano Jazz
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