www.stillisstillmoving.com

Willie Nelson signed up to work with Mark Burnett in production of new television reality show, to air on the TNT network next fall.  The 12-week show will follow the country star’s efforts to hire an assistant for Ben Dorsey, Nelson’s long-term roadie, now 84 years old.

Dorsey no longer travels with the band on Willie Nelson’s never-ending-tour schedule, but he can be seen backstage when Willie Nelson & Family play in Texas.  Dorsey, who  once worked as a valet for John Wayne, has been recognized with awards such as Roadie For Life, World’s Oldest Roadie, as well as a First Annual Ben Dorsey Day concert earlier this year.

The new reality show, filmed around the country following Nelson’s tour, will show auditions of young and old get interviewed by Willie, and challenges from the road crew, to see if they make it to the live finale, filmed at a concert in Texas in late summer of 2013.

To apply: www.makemebensasst.com

[Min age:  18; no maximum age]

Willie Nelson’s long-time lighting director got married on his birthday,  and retired from his life on the road this month.   Budrock’s daugther, Zoe, will replace him as the band’s new iluminator.  “She ran her first light board at the age of two” Budrock said.  The young Prewitt has already changed the dymanic of the crew bus, by replacing the oldest crew member, with now the youngest.   New rules are expected on the bus, too, like toilet seats must be put down, crew bus no longer clothing-optional zone, etc.

No information has been released about who the  bride is,  but Budrock and the lucky lady reportedly left for their honeymoon in her private jet.  Bon voyage!

SIR Richard Branson is planning his most daring  adventure yet — a walk on the  surface of the MOON with Willie Nelson

The Virgin tycoon, 62, is said to be among a small team of billionaires  investing in a commercially funded lunar mission, and today announced that his travelling companion will be Willie Nelson.

The $150.00 million space trip has been secretly planned for wealthy clients by a  company named Golden Spike. It has been set up by leading aerospace experts  including ex-NASA science chief Alan Stern. Golden Spike is expected to make  an announcement about the lunar mission in Washington on Thursday.

Early investors are being asked to put up initial sums of 6.3 million each in  Golden Spike, which plans to use conventional US rocket technology to  prepare  a private manned moon campaign.

The firm has reportedly already signed a deal with private space company  SpaceX for a rocket and a lunar orbiter. Sir Richard’s previous adventures  include ballooning around the world. He is already booked on the first  commercial sub-orbital flight that will be operated by his own space company  Virgin Galactic, possibly next year.

Branson said he hope to partner with Nelson on the first hotel and honky tonk on the moon.

The Telluride Film Board announced theme for it’s 2014 Film Festival on Friday with plans for their Willie Nelson Film Fest.  The festival, which runs from June 18 – 25th, 2014,  will feature all films in which Willie Nelson has starred or appeared.  Willie Nelson and Robert Redford have both signed up and will make appearances at opening night of the summer film festival, which will show “Electric Cowboy”, followed by Willie Nelson & Family Concert.

Willie Nelson’s output of albums during his career is perhaps only rivaled by the number (and caliber) of the songs he’s written and had recorded by other artists — and the eclectic rosters of fellow artists with whom he’s collaborated through the years.

In April, to celebrate his 80th birthday, Willie Nelson will release a boxed set featuring duets he has recorded, called “To all the Girls I loved Before”  The 64-boxed set, will include 1,250 duets he has recorded since his musical career started over fifty years ago.

The boxed set will include duets with Bobby Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Dolly Parton,  Barbra Streisand, Shelby Lynn, Lucinda Williams, LeeAnn Womack, Emmylou Harris, Shania Twain, Nancy Sinatra, Sheryl Crow, Cyndi Lauper, Brenda Star, Crystal Gayle, Patsy Cline, Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe, Janis Joplin, Diana Ross, Patty Duke, Natalie Wood, Jane Russell, Elizabeth Taylor, Taylor Swift, Myley Sirius, Madonna, Beyonce, Pink, Lady Gaga, Joni Mitchell, Diana Ross, Christina Aguillara, Shirley Temple, Connie Smith, Adele, and many others.

“This set won’t include all the girls, and I plan to release another 64-cd set next year.” Nelson said.

Washington-based coffee franchise Starbucks announced that they have signed a deal with Willie Nelson, who will appear in commercials promoting a new roast, “Cowboy Coffee”  Print adds will feature Willie Nelson on horseback, at his Texas ranch.

Willie Nelson has joined with Washington based coffee company Starbuck’s  to introduce  a marijuana-infused expresso drink.  The drink will only be sold in Starbucks stores in the states of Washington and Colorado, where residents voted last November to amend their state constitutions to permit sale, regulation and taxation of marijuana.

Willie Nelson has long been known for his exercise regimen of biking, jogging, boxing, tai kwan do. And recently, Nelson has encouraged fans who come to see him in concert to remember to stretch before and after his shows.

As seen in these photos, Nelson comes on stage and leads the audience through stretching exercises before the show starts.  Now, he plans to release his first “Stretching With Willie” exercise DVD.  Recently, Nelson invited friends to Texas, to film an exercise video, including Woody Harrelson, Owen and Luke Wilson, and Jessica Simpson, among others.   Scheduled release date for the video is November 2013 — just in time for the holidays

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www.dwcphotography.com

The Willie Nelson family has announced a partnership with Herschend Family Entertainment, with plans to open a 50-acre theme park on property adjacent to Willie Nelsons Texas ranch outside of Austin.  The Theme Park, which will be 100% solar operated, will feature rides inspired by the country singer’s long career in music, and will reflect his activism. Herschend is the company that operates DollyWorld in Tennessee, and Nelson said he got the inspiration after a recent recording session with Dolly,  when she recorded a song for an upcoming album with Willie.

Nelson will duplicate his Luck, Ranch, which was originally built as a movie set, on a larger scale, and visitors will experience a visit to authentic western town.     Fans will be able to ride around in buses fashioned after Willie Nelson’s tour bus, the HoneySuckle Rose.  Bumper cars will feature pick up trucks and 1960′s Cadillacs.    Visitors will be challenged by a giant haunted “Trigger” corn maze, and other interactive exhibits.  The park will include a concert hall, where Nelson will hold his annual Forth of July Picnic, as well as regulary scheduled concerts throughout the year.  A movie theater will show Willie Nelson movies 24-7.

A June groundbreaking is planned, with more details to follow later in the summer.

Austin’s elite pet store “Barkers” has opened a boutique dog gift store, featuring Willie Nelson dog costumes.  The store has over 700 different costumes for every size and breed of dogs, with cowboy hats, bandannas, braids, guitars, and other props.  Owner Marge Winston said, “We have received such a great response!  People love Willie Nelson and they love that their dog can look like Austin’s famous country singer.”

For more information:  Williedog.com

The most popular Jukebox Maker of all time, the Worlitzer company, announced production of Willie Nelson Worlitzer, in honor of Willie Nelson’s 80th birthday party.  The company, creator the famous Worlitzer Model  1015, popularly referred to as the  “bubbler”, produced over 60,000 of these jukeboxes, originally featuring 24 78 RPM records, from 1946 -1947, following World War II.  The long lasting popularity was driven by an advertising  campaign by Wurlitzer which splashed the 1015′s image in  advertisements in Life, Look, Saturday Evening Post as well as  on thousands of billboards across the country.

The new project, with estimated sale price of $2500.00, will feature all of Willie Nelson’s 45 songs.

Willie Nelson is in talks to open a marijuana café on the pedestrian mall in Boulder, Colorado.  Inspired by title of his recent book and song, “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me (when I die)”,  the new shop will be one of several the country music star plans to open in Colorado and Washington state, where voters recently approved the regulation and taxation of the formerly illegal drug.

The coffee shops, loosely modeled after shops in Amsterdam, will feature live music on the weekends, in addition to over 25  Cannabus Cup award winning strains of marijuana, edibles, pop and ice cream

The Colorado Legislature is working out details of how the sale of the drug will be regulated, and no dates have been announced for the opening of the smoke shops.

Willie Nelson’s management announced that Willie Nelson & Family will emabark on a 12-city tour with the boy group One Direction. The press release stated that Willie Nelson met the English-Irish boy pop group at a pre-Oscar party last March. Willie and the band got along so well, that they both rearranged their tour schedules accommodate their new collaboration. Ticket information will be released soon through the bands’ websites. One Direction tweeted that Willie Nelson would record on a track for their new album, as well.

TMZ has posted this picture of Country music star Willie Nelson and actor Johnny Knoxville on their website.    Details of the reason the two were being pursued by the police is unclear, but witnesses told TMZ reporters that Nelson and Knoxville were seen running out restaurant,  jumping in the convertible and driving off, with three squad cars in pursuit.

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