Ways to support this channel.

This might sound weird but when I was a kid in the 50’s and early 60’s I absolutely loved country music. Especially Ray Price and Patsy Cline. When I learned years later that so many of the songs I loved were written by Willie Nelson I was in awe of that man and still am today. He’s a national treasure . Thanks Otis!

I made this compilation to make it easier for people to find all of these stories. These are all clips from interviews I've done over the years. Feel free to share it with your favorite Willie Nelson fan.

I lived in Austin from 1978-1980. I have my own Willie Nelson story. The short version is that a girl slipped acid in my coffee and before the day was over I ended up being an extra on the set of the movie “Honeysuckle Rose” with Willie, Slim Pickens and Dyan Cannon while I was tripping balls

To think that Willie turns 90 next week is amazing. What an incredible life. He's seen more than some people have ever seen. Love this Otis .Thank you .

Worked at an old-school pawn shop. Customer told me his Willie story: his wife wanted to get an autograph so they go knock on the bus door after a gig. They got pulled on the bus, met Willie, got blasted on joints for the first time ever, just had a grand old time. Bus has to go and it’s time to leave. They leave the bus and make it to their car as the bus pulls away and his wife realizes they forgot to ask for an autograph.

What a treat to have all these stories collected in one place. Thanks Otis. Here's to more kindness.

In the mid 70’s when I was about 8 years old I had front row center seats to one of his shows. I had a custom made t shirt that said I ❤ Willie. I had braids and a red bandana and red cowboy boots. I tossed him my bandana and he played with it on the end of trigger and threw it back to me and smiled. Some very large horrible woman snatched it out of the air and wouldn’t let me have it. He was mid song and glared at her and strummed trigger extra hard in displeasure while the crowd at the front booed her. Later he gave me an autograph when he saw me and he had already turned down many. Funny thing was he was so drunk from passing a whisky jug back and forth with fans in the front row that his signature looked more like it said Waylon than it did Willie. But I will never forget that moment we had. I will be absolutely gutted when he heads off yonder.

"It felt like I was watching Louis Armstrong rehearse." What a great quote.

I got a shiver down my spine when one guy here was talking about Bobbie and Willie being shown the chords to "Great Speckled Bird"

I was at a Willie Nelson, concert, and when it was over, everyone, in the audience, wanted him to sign ,anything, AND,WILLIE ,MADE AN ANOUNSENTMENT " IF I HAVE TO RENT THIS PLACE FOR 3 DAYS, I'LL SIGN EVERYONE'S

I saw Willie play at the Del Mar fair in San Diego, the fair has a rule that concerts end at 11:00pm. When the show is supposed to end, Willie says to the crowd, I've got a new album coming out and if you want to hang around, I'd like to bounce these songs off of you and see how you like them. He played until 12:30am and the Del Mar Fair banned him from ever playing there again.

Willie is so down to earth. I met him once, years ago out at Luckenbach. He wasn't playing a show, or anything like that. He just showed up one Saturday evening and the cool thing about Luckenbach is everyone really IS somebody there. If you didn't know it was Willie, he could have been just another old timer hanging out. And yep, I got high with him. I offered first, and he said, "here, try this". Even way back then, he had the. "good stuff".

Willie Nelson, An American Icon!

Yeah, Red Headed Stranger is such a great record

I've been feeling extremely depressed .. flying low if ya will . Listening to these stories of Willie and life on the road has put a huge smile in my face .. thinking about traveling long live willie

In Willie we trust!!!

Man, I was 8 years old in 1975 in Memphis TN. My parents had get-togethers every weekend listening to outlaw country and the like. I used to sneak into the living room and hide in a corner while the grown ups would drink and get stoned. I used to get ran out all the time. My mother would freak out because I would be stoned just sitting there and there was always one guy, Randy, who would pass me a joint. Man, I lived in such a great time back then! Snagging my dads Penthouses and trying to be one of the grownups! Good day!

Man, I can't tell you how much I enjoy your channel, your stories it has taken me all day to listen to the Willie Nelson stories because I am at work but has been thoroughly enjoyed. Rock on my brother !!! I dig what you do.

Glad I got to see him. One of last greats of Country royalty.