2014 was a great year to be a Willie Nelson fan

photo:  Robert MacCready

Wow, what a year Willie Nelson had!    I don’t know how he does all he does, I’m worn out just  listing some of his projects here.  This is not everything he did this year, of course, just a snapshot.  He does so much when he is off the road that we never hear about, public service stuff, private parties, fundraisers, recordings, favors for friends.

It really has been a great year to be a fan, like it was last year, and the year before that.Willie Nelson & Family toured extensively in 2014, Willie released new albums, collaborated with others on their albums, was on the cover of many magazines, appeared on many televisions shows, hosted friends and fans at another picnic in Fort Worth and joined with Farm Aid board members to support family farmers, with their 39th annual Farm Aid concert.  Basically, for another year Willie Nelson made his fans happy and made the world a better place.  Yeah, the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Willie is relevant, and his opinions are sought after.

Thank you Willie Nelson, thank you to his family, his band, his fans, for all the music, fellowship, and good times.  And thanks so much to all of you who send me things for my blog; you all make keeping this blog going so much easier and so much fun.   You’re the best.

nye Once again, Willie Nelson and Family welcomed in the new year with family and friends and fans at Austin City Live’s Moody Theater. 13nye40
decday Willie Nelson released two critically acclaimed albums in 2014.  Band of Brothers was #1 on the Billboard Country Chart.
englebert2 Always a popular duet partner, Willie sang on many different albums
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His duet with Rhonda Vincent was #1 on Billboard Bluegrass chart
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acl scottnewtonacl5 Willie Nelson was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame tonight, along with Coach Darrell Royal, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, and Willie performed, and  Bill Arhos.  Willie was joined by EmmyLou Harris and Lyle Lovett,  for several songs. IMG_0559
inside1 Willie Nelson collaborated with nephew Freddy Fletcher, and launched “Inside Arlyn Studios”, featuring live musical performances.  Willie launched the series with tapings of Guy Clark, Jr., and Merle Haggard.
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guestletterman Willie Nelson was a guest on several talk shows, including two appearances on David Letterman in 2014.  He performed music from his new album, “Band of Brothers” on one appearance, and another time sang a new duet with Billy Joe Shaver.
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Willie Nelson was a guest on ESPN, reminiscing about his first guitar as a child, playing high school football, earning his fifth-degree black belt and  relationship with legendary football coach Darrell Royal.
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“The world looks better from the top a horse.” — Willie Nelson

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Jimmy Kimmel agreed to do a show live from Austin during ACL, if he could have Willie Nelson as a guest.
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ie joined a cast of thousands, to say farewell to the Colbert Report, at the shows final taping. patrick2 patrick3
Willie Nelson,was honored with guitar-shaped  birthday cake on new season of TLC’s “Cake Boss” television show.
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bb1 DSC_0148Once again, Willie Nelson invited friends and fans
to celebrate the Fourth of July, on the back 40, at BillyBob’s Texas, in Fort Worth.
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For the 39th year, Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews headlined a concert to raise funds for family farmers and Farm Aid.  Over 20,000 people attended the concert in Raleigh, North Carolina

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& Family played their favorite Texas haunts
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fansphilWillie Nelson kept his fans close. makewish1And made dreams come true, like Tatum Lee who got to see her favorite singer perform in Kansas City, thanks to Make a Wish Foundation.  He signed her guitar, too!
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Fans proposed

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Willie autographed books, records, posters, hats, boots, boobs, and more.  I’ll bet he has never said no to a request for an autograph.

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Willie Nelson is popular on Facebook, and trended on Twitter.  His family posts new videos, pictures, stories from the road, about contests to win tickets and new shows.  He’s got 4,152,639 likes , and fans post their love and gratitude on his page every day.                                                        

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Willie Nelson trended on Twitter

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Willie Nelson is 81 so somebody PLEASE warn him that all that weed’s eventually gonna lead him directly to crack
.Stephen Colbert@StephenAtHome
Fun fact: uses the same cologne as and!
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“Wait! U got a Willie T on? Respect-I’m out!”
Willie Nelson Shirts saved lives
triggerphil2 Even Willie Nelson’s guitar, Trigger, made the news.   The July issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine features this cool close up photo taken by Jay Blakesberg, nye
williehorse He ftook time to do things he likes to do, like riding horses alone on his ranch in Texas. luck2
willieannie2And time to hang out with family and friends, celebrated another year of marriage with Annie d’Angelo Nelson. lukaswill busjohn
williers Willie Nelson featured in many magazines in 2014, including another cover of the Rolling Stone. rolling. rspicks
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Willie was even on the cover of a Korean magazine japan Even Willie Nelson’s guitar featured in magazines“The July issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine featured close up photo taken by Jay Blakesberg, jay
As if being a singer, songwriter, actor, author, poet, humanitarian and activist wasn’t enough, Willie Nelson revealed his skills as a magician.   His family posted several videos of Willie trying to trick his sister, with magic.  He’s really good. magic
rbz Willie DKR Exhibit 02 The Briscoe Center for American History has created a display honoring the Living Legend in Willie Nelson with an exhibit inside the Red McCombs Red Zone within the north endzone of the Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium on the University of Texas
The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University Library acquired an extensive collection of Willie Nelson’s recordings and papers.Acquired from a fan and consummate collector of Nelson’s work, John Kalinsky, the collection spans 1954 to 2010 and contains 877 recordings, including 45s, LPs, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, CDs, and DVDs.
alisonthree Willie Nelson and Family teamed up with Allison Krause and Jerry Douglas and Union Station for a series of shows. alisontoo. nye
halloweenkid Fans continued to dress their babies up like Willie Nelson, for Halloween. halloweentoo
faa Willie Nelson was honored by Future Farmer’s of America.  He was a member of FFA when he was growing up in Abbott, Texas.
Beautiful designer guitar picks were created to honor his concerts, tours, songs and albums.  Picks designed by Budrock Prewitt and Guthrie Thomas, and tastefully framed here by Guthrie. bobpick
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newark radiocity Willie Nelson and Family played all over the U.S., in some of the most famous venues in the U.S., along with amphitheaters, theaters, private parties, casinos and corn fields. harvest10
acl scottnewtonacl5 Willie Nelson was inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame tonight, along with Coach Darrell Royal, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, and Willie performed, and  Bill Arhos.  Willie was joined by EmmyLou Harris and Lyle Lovett,  for several songs. IMG_0559
The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University Library acquired an extensive collection of Willie Nelson’s recordings and papers.Acquired from a fan and consummate collector of Nelson’s work, John Kalinsky, the collection spans 1954 to 2010 and contains 877 recordings, including 45s, LPs, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, CDs, and DVDs. Willie Nelson and Family welcomed in the new year with family and friends and fans at Austin City Live.  Once again, Willie Nelson & Family celebrated New Year’s Eve at the popular venue, located on Willie Nelson Boulevard, in Austin. nye
Photographs of Willie Nelson were featured in books, magazines and exhibits.
waldenfrabreyWillie Nelson featured i exhibit “Country: Portraits of an American Sound” at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles.
faceoftexasThe Face of Texas,”  (2nd ed.) was published in 2014, with eclectic selection of photos of Willie, Kinky Friedman to Lady Bird Johnson to Troy Aikman to ZZ Top. martystuart3Photos taken by Marty Stuart were on display at a gallery in St. Louis, Missouri. clinchbook1Willie Nelson wrote the introduction to this book of Danny Clinch that includes photos of Willie, Mickey Raphael, and other rock legends.  Clinch named the song after a Willie Nelson song, “Still is Still Moving”.
wnglasses esquire2Willie Nelson was featured in art campaign of designer John Varvatos, and he and his sons performed at the John Varvatos fundraiser, for the benefit of the Stuart House (a Rape Treatment Center).  concert raised over one million dollars.  blackbelt3 stuarthouse
youngpipe Willie Nelson and his sons joined Neil Young at “Harvest the Host” concert in Neligh, NE.  Funds raised were used to raise awareness about dangers of Keystone PipeLine. Willie and Neil were honored by Rosebud Sioux and Ogalala Sioux, for humanitarian work. DSC_0131 Honoring of Willie Nelson and Neil Young at Harvest the Hope Concert
judge judge Willie’s cover of the Coldplay song, “The Scientist” is used in move, “The Judge”  (Not on soundtrack though, sadly.)
preacher3 Seth Rogen announces plans to use Willie Nelson song in new tv series he developing, based on the Preacher graphic novels..
RollingStone.com put together the “100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time,” which included both new and old. Willie made the list at #48 with “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” from his 1975 album Red Headed Stranger. He also made #10 with his friend Waylon Jennings for “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” You can see the entire list @RollingStone.com 100best
AnnieRayWillie Nelson appeared in, “The Legend Of Shep Gordon.”
a documentary directed by Mike Meyers.  Appearances also by
Tom Arnold,  Michael Douglas and Sylvester Stallone.
willieanneWillie was featured in new documentary about Ann Richards
vets charityWillie donated his voice, time, energy, music, and autographed dozens of guitar, to help raise funds for good causes that he believes in. austinpets3 Win Willie Nelson Signed Guitar
IMG_4729 IMG_4587 Willie Nelson received his fifth level black belt at a ceremony in Austin. IMG_4532
collection major portions of his collection of correspondence, manuscripts, records and awards to the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at The University of Texas at Austin.Along with other music collections at the center, the Willie Nelson Collection provides scholars with a deeper understanding of Nelson’s music, career, relationships and creative process. The collection will be the focus of an upcoming exhibit on the UT Austin campus.
Willie Nelson invited Larry king on board his bus, for an interview and conversation about turning 80, legalizing marijuana and the 2016 presidential race. lk
Willie Nelson opened up his Luck, Texas ranch for “Heartbreaker’s Banquet”, one of the premiere parties and concerts during the South by Southwest Festival in Austin. heartbreakerb heartbreakera nye
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Willie Nelson fan Johnny Depp joined the band and played guitar at the Houston Rodeo, and Boston shows.

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In 2014, more artists were inspired to portray Willie Nelson in their art, in oil, wood, pencil, food and media that you can’t even imagine.

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Willie Nelson’s braids were auctioned off as part of the estate of Waylon Jennings (a gift to him from Willie, to celebrate Waylon’s sobriety). braidssale

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