Getting into an Americana frame of mind, this New Years day 2026 with a set from Willie Nelson as he appeared on the pilot episode of Austin City Limits from October 17, 1974.
Aside from being an American institution; one that transcends time and genres, Willie Nelson has been one of the most celebrated figures in Country Music, and popular music in general for over 50 years – still with us – still a presence – still a National Treasure.
Early on, Willie Nelson was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. The critical success of his album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.
Willie Nelson is widely recognized as an American icon. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993, and he received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998. In 2011, Nelson was inducted to the National Agricultural Hall of Fame, for his labor in Farm Aid and other fund raisers to benefit farmers. In 2015 Nelson won the Gershwin Prize, the lifetime award of the Library of Congress. In 2018, The Texas Institute of Letters inducted him among its members for his songwriting. He was included by Rolling Stone on its 100 Greatest Singers and 100 Greatest Guitarists lists.
Special thanks for Wikipedia for the help on this – Now it’s over to you to press Play and enjoy New Years day with Willie Nelson.
