It truly is insane to think about how long Willie Nelson has been playing music.
We’re talking about a career that’s spanned 66 years, along with 98 studio albums, and appearances in over 50 movies and television shows.
Not to mention, the man is 89 years old and cranks out as much music as anybody in the business.
It’s hard to imagine, but Ol’ Shotgun Willie has beaten the odds, proving that age and longevity is just a number, and he’s forever etched his face on the Mount Rushmore of country music until the end of time.
As I tend to do, I decided to take a deep dive into the vaults of the interwebs today, as I found myself thinking about Willie’s extensive career.
I mean c’mon, the fact that he first hit the music scene in 1956 is mind boggling in itself (before my dad was even born), so I had to see if there was some footage out there around the time he got his start…
And sure enough, I discovered this gem.
The video is of a clean cut, clean shaven and baby-faced Willie Nelson, rocking a suit as he sits upon a crowd in1962.
Now I’m guessing this is pre-hardcore marijuana Willie, because never in my life have I seen him without his signature long haired, bearded look, and he looks damn near unrecognizable in this video.
However, as soon as he begins singing, you know it’s him with his one of a kind, distinct voice.
According to the caption, it’s believed that he was singing on a show in Nashville for TV, and he’s singing some of his OG hits, like “Hello Walls,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Night Light,” and “Crazy,” which was famously recorded by Patsy Cline right around the same time.
Check it out:
