Archive for April, 2013

Happy Birthday, Willie Nelson, from Time Magazine

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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photo:  Scott Newton

http://entertainment.time.com

Willie Nelson, who turns 80 today (born April 30, 1933), is one of those  musicians who manages to comfortably straddle very different worlds. To some,  he’s a pot smoking, long-haired gay marriage champion, but to others he’s an  icon of the often conservative country music circuit. Perhaps it’s not  surprising, though. His name, after all, is almost synonymous with the city of  Austin – a famously blue city in an otherwise red state.

Nelson made his name playing venues like Austin City Limits and the Austin  Opera House, and for much of that time photographer Scott Newton was by his  side. Newton has been the official stills photographer for Austin City Limits  since 1979. To celebrate Willie’s birthday, TIME presents Newton’s intimate, and  rarely seen, portraits of the American musical legend

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See all of Scott Newton’s photos in Time HERE.

Willie Nelson and Paul English, at the BackYard (4/28/13)

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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Willie Nelson and Paul English

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Willie Nelson pays tribute to his good friend, Drummer Paul English, after he sings his ballad about their life on the road together, “Me and Paul”

“I’ll follow you all the way to 99!” — Dwight

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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“Happy Birthday Willie! I’ll follow you all the way to 99! ; )” — Dwight

Willie Nelson, on guitar

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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Willie’s guitar playing was amazing last Sunday. It’s always fun to stand near people who have never seen him live, who are there because their parents liked them, or they came to hear him sing “On the Road Again” (which Willie didn’t play, by the way; first time at any show I’ve seen). But then when Willie just rips into some song, he blows peoples minds with what an amazing guitar player he is.  We all love to sit near Willie Virgins, as we fondly refer to them.

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“Happiest of days to my favorite man on this planet!” — Joni Stevens Dunbar

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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“Happiest of days to my favorite man on this planet!” — Joni Stevens Dunbar

Happy Birthday Willie Nelson, from Keith Richards

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Willie Nelson takes a call from the stage

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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Lori Wyant shared this photo from Sunday’s BackYard concert.  A fan asked Willie to sign her cell phone, and Willie took a call (or pretended to, anyway).

Willie Nelson Store Proceeds to benefit West, TX Relief Fund

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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www.WillieNelson.com

Happy birthday, Willie Nelson, from the Western Organization of Resource Councils

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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photo: Andrew Shapter

“The event that was supposed to be “Willie’s 80th Birthday at The Backyard” has been transformed into a fundraiser for victims of the West Texas catastrophe. That’s typical of a man who cares so much about helping those in need.  Admirable, Sir.” — Andrew Shapter

Sirius/XM Radio to re-broadcast Willie Nelson & Family Birthday Concert tonight!

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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Willie Nelson was born a few minutes before midnight on April 29, 2013, but on his birth certificate, it was recorded as April 30, 2013, so fans everywhere choose to celebrate his birthday for to days, just because we can. We need more than two day to celebrate, and this month of his 80th birthday, we have been celebrating all month long.

If you missed the concert at the Backyard on Sunday (April 28, 2013), you can listen to the concert, and Celebrate Willie’s 80th birthday with an encore rebroadcast of the sold-out Willie Nelson & Family benefit concert for the Abbott & West, TX Volunteer Fire Departments at The Backyard at Bee Cave.

Re-broadcast airs tonight (Monday) 8 pm ET.

Donations in support of local fire fighters can be made directly to the Abbott Volunteer Fire Dep’t., P.O. Box 24, Abbott, TX 76621 and the West Volunteer Fire Dep’t, P.O. Box 461, West, TX 76691.

Randy Travis celebrates Willie Nelson’s 80th Birthday, at the BackYard (April 28, 2013)

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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Randy Travis stopped by the BackYard in Austin last Sunday, to wish Willie Nelson Happy Birthday.

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Randy Travis joined Willie Nelson for his gospel set at the end of the show, and joined in to sing Willie Nelson’s new gospel song, “Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die”. I think it was the first time Randy had heard the lyrics! He sure enjoyed himself, and so did everyone there.

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Happy Birthday, Willie Nelson, from Legacy Records, and fans

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Willie Nelson (photo by Andrew Shapter)

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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Thanks to filmmaker, photographer, Andrew Shapter, for sharing another of his amazing photos of Willie Nelson, from Luck, Texas.

Happy Birthday, Willie Nelson

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

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“It was an immense pleasure to make this cake for Willie’s 80th birthday party at The Backyard on April 28, 2013.  We are also honored to be part of this amazing event benefiting the firefighters and families of West.

Happy Birthday Willie!”

Heather Tworoger
Two Saints Baking Company & Cafe