Willie Nelson is a country music legend with tons of hits, 15 Grammy Awards, and over 150 albums released during his long career. But aside from his music, the 91-year-old singer is also famous for his long braids, a look he’s had for the last 50 years.
By now, most people can’t even picture Willie Nelson without his iconic braids. In fact, many don’t remember a time when he didn’t have them, or they’ve never seen old pictures of him with short hair. Interestingly, Nelson didn’t start wearing his braids until the 1970s. Now, they’re such a big part of his image that it’s hard to imagine him any other way!
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So, how did Nelson’s braids become such a big deal? In an interview with Larry King from over ten years ago, Nelson shared a funny reason for keeping the hairstyle. When asked why he kept the braids for so long, he joked that part of the reason was that it bothered some people around him.
“Well, it pissed a few people off, and I figured it was worth doing,” he said.
Nelson also remembered a time when fellow singer-songwriter Billy Joe Shaver wasn’t too thrilled with the braids. The first time Shaver saw them, he didn’t hold back.
“I remember one time, the first time I started wearing braids, I saw Billy Joe Shaver in a studio in Nashville, he said, ‘You look outrageous.’ I said, ‘Thank you.’”
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Willie Nelson has some exciting news! He’s releasing a new album called Last Leaf on the Tree on November 1st. The album was produced by his son, Micah Nelson, who goes by the stage name Particle Kid.
The album will feature a mix of songs by rock legends, unique singer-songwriters, alt-rock favorites, and indie folk artists. The themes will include loss, love, and a kind of hopeful world-weariness. Some of the tracks are covers of songs by Neil Young, Beck, The Flaming Lips, Tom Waits, Keith Richards, and others.
You can hear Willie Nelson talk about why he kept his long braids in the video below.
