By Turk Pipkin, from his interview with Willie out of Texas Highways Magazine....
Willie still plays poker and dominoes with some of his friends, and I can testify firsthand that you can get your pockets cleaned in those games. I'm fairly good around a gaming table, good enough to recognize how great Willie is at poker, chess, checkers, and dominoes.
''Which game are you the best at?'' I ask.
"Dominoes, by far," Willie says immediately. "When I was young, a lot of old men from Abbott (his hometown) sat around playing dominoes every day, and when they got up for a break, they'd set me down in their spot. If I messed up, they'd really chew my ass out!"
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Willie and his wife Annie once rescued a herd of American paint horses who were destined for a slaughterhouse. The idea was to save their lives, then find them new homes. But, I've noticed that many of those beautiful black and white paints are still living happily at the Nelson's ranch and western movie town outside of Austin, a place Willie calls Luck, Texas.
"If you're not here," he like to say, "you're out of Luck!"
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Wilie's Family Band is smaller than in the old days...the passing of guitarist Jody Payne and bassist Bee Spears in 2013 and 2011, respectively, were deep-felt losses, but Willie was to move forward with a smaller group that's as tight as ever. Willie's sister, Bobbie Nelson, then a few months shy of her 88th birthday, wows the crowd on every piano solo.
Consider this: Willie and Bobbie have been playing together for eight decades, with hardly a break since the 1970s, and she is as much a part of Willie's live sound as his famous acoustic guitar, Trigger, or Mickey Raphael's distinctive harmonica. Mickey, who began laying harmonica for Willie at 22, is a perfect example of why everyone in the group is called 'family.'
"Willie is the same guy now as when I first started in 1973." Mickey tells me.
"And who is that," I ask?
"He wears a lot of hats: Mentor, guitar god, friend, father figure." Mickey says. "That all means he's just Willie."
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In the 70s, Willie basically integrated country music clubs in Texas and Louisiana by hiring Charley Pride as his opening act. One night at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Willie introduced Charley to an audience whose applause fell quiet when a black man walked to the mic. Going back on stage, Willie kissed Charley right on the lips. "That shut 'em up," Willie told me. "And they loved his music."
Charley was soon one of the biggest acts in country music, ultimately garnering 29 #1 country hits. He calls the tours with Willie "a watershed" in his career. Still friends with Willie, he came from his home in Dallas to say hi and see the show at Billy Bob's.
Charley's admiration for Willie is seconded by just about every other musician in Texas. When Willie moved back to Texas from Nashville in the early 70's, his shows at Armadillo World Headquarters, Willie's 4th of July picnics and almost everywhere he played had two audiences: rednecks and hippies...two groups that didn't get along.
"They all got together and listened to music, drank a little beer, and did other things," Willie said, " and they realized they didn't hate each other after all."
"Are we divided like that again in America?" I ask him.
"Not as much as people think," Wille tells me.
Offstage, Willie has never been shy about politics. He's dedicated a fair amount of his life to Farm Aid's support America's family farmers, he's supported Native American causes, and has had friendships with a number of governors and president, going all the way back to Jimmy Carter. But you won't hear any of that at his shows.
"We don't do politics during the show," Willie reminds me. "The people come to hear my music. And, that's what we do."
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Willie Nelson is defined by music and by time...both his decades-spanning career and his ability to make the most of every moment. And he is defined by love...not just love for his family or his fans, but the universal concept...that living from one's heart is the best use of our lives.
It's almost impossible to imagine a world without Willie Nelson. Despite the frequent internet rumors that his health is failing, Willie shows no signs of surrendering to time. Instead, he responds with a funny song like 'Still Not Dead Again Today.' Those lyrics are now an anthem all their own. "I woke up still not dead again today. The news said I was gone to my dismay. Don't bury me, I've got a show to play."
Not long after New Year's, I found myself in Luck, literally, where Willie signed a Martin guitar for my wife's birthday (after playing Django Reinhart's 'Nuages' on it to make sure it was a good one). Then he took out his phone and played recordings of five incredible new songs for us, three of which he'd written in the last week.
"When do you write all these songs?" I asked.
"In my dreams," he said. We laughed, but I don't think he was kidding.
My favorite of the new songs is called 'Come on Time.' Co-written with Buddy Cannon, who is producing his 13th album with Willie, the song sets Willie's conversation with time to a gentle waltz tempo.
"Time," Willie sings in a voice still strong but also clearly marked by its passage. "As you pass me by, why did you put these lines on my face? You sure have put me in my place. Come on time. Looks like you're winning the race."
The song was so beautiful, I was practically in tears. After the last notes played, we sat there quietly for a long while. It was time for me to leave, but I didn't want to go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J34esa_aJxc 'Still Not Dead Today'