S. R. No. 687
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Senate is today honored with a visit from a great Texan whose music is loved by millions of Americans; and
WHEREAS,Mr. Willie Nelson was born at Abbott, Texas, in 1933, was brought up in Abbott by his grandparents, and after high school he enlisted in the Air Force; and
WHEREAS, His career as a musical performer began when, at the age of 10, he played the rhythm guitar in a Bohemian polka band in the town of West, Texas; and
WHEREAS, During most of the 1950’s, Willie supported his family by selling vacuum cleaners, encyclopedias, and Bibles, by making saddles, or by working as a radio disc jockey, an then would spend his evenings writing and performing his songs; and
WHEREAS, He was the promoter for many North Central Texas appearances of the late, great Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys in the middle 1950’s; and
WHEREAS, In 1960, Willie and his family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, then considered to be the headquarters for American country and western music, and the next year, Mr. Faron Young’s recording of Willie’s “Hello Walls” was the No. 1 song in the nation for 12 consecutive weeks; and
WHEREAS, Since then, Willie has recorded 25 record albums and has written hundreds of songs, including such American standards as “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Crazy,” “The Nightlife,” “Pretty Paper,” “The Party’s Over,” “Good Hearted Woman,” and “Pretend I Never Happened; and
WHEREAS, In 1970, he returned to his native Texas and since then has lived in or around Austin; and
WHEREAS, He was elected and inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1973; and
WHEREAS, Since his return to Texas five years ago, Willie Nelson has become a folk hero to a whole new generation of music lovers, and as a result of the inspiration and encouragement he has provided to numerous young musicians, Austin is now nationally recognized for its music, and the music industry has become a major part of Austin’s culture and economy; and
WHEREAS, This year, “Willie Nelson’s Third Annual 4th of July Picnic,” a day-long outdoor music concert, will be held on Liberty Hill, Texas; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 64th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby extend to Willie Nelson it’s appreciation for the enjoyment he and his music have brought to all Texans in the past, and it’s congratulations for his professional success and for the deserved high esteem in which he is held by millions of Americans; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the date of July 4, 1975, in conjunction with “Willie Nelson’s Third Annual 4th of July Picnic,” be declared Willie Nelson Day in Texas in honor of this great Texan, and that a copy of this REsolution be prepared for this distinguished musician as a token of esteem from the Senate of Texas.
Clower, Doggett, McKnight, Adams, Aikin, Andujar, Braecklein, Brooks, CLower, Creighton, Doggett, Farabee, Gammmage, Hance, Harrington, Harris, Jones, Kothmann, Lombardino, Longoria, Mauzy, McKinnon, McKnight, Meier, Mengden, Moore, Ogg, Patman, Santiesteban, Schwartz, Sherman, Snelson, Traeger, Williams
The first Austin City Limits Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place April 26, 2014. The Austin City Limits Hall of Fame is located at The Moody Theater and consists of a photo gallery, timeline/anthology mural and an interactive online library of Austin City Limits content.
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Willie Nelson was not an American icon.
In the early ‘70s, Nelson was best-known for writing hits for other people. The Abbott, Texas native had a successful career as a Nashville songwriter (“Crazy,” “Hello Walls,” “Night Life,” etc.) but had not yet achieved recognition under his own name. In 1974 all that would change. With the release of 1973’s Shotgun Willie and 1974’s Phases and Stages, two imaginative and successful LPs, the stage was set for his career to take off.
Then on October 17, 1974, Willie and his Family band entered Studio 6A to record the pilot for Austin City Limits. Broadcast as part of the national pledge drive in March 1975, the show was one of the top programs on PBS that year, securing a future for ACL as a series.
Willie has appeared on the show 16 times, with six headlining slots (most recently in 2009), seven songwriters specials and three guest appearances with Johnny Rodriguez, Roger Miller and Asleep at the Wheel. Not only is he the artist who launched Austin City Limits, he’s also one of our most frequent – and favorite – guests.
