Willie Nelson

by itemvn  |  May 03, 2008 [Edit]

Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 30, 1933) is an American country singer-songwriter, author, poet and actor. He reached his greatest fame during the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, but remains iconic, especially in American popular culture. In recent years he has continued to tour, record, and perform, and this, combined with activities in advocacy of marijuana, as well as a well-publicized 2006 arrest for marijuana possession, have made him the subject of renewed media attention.

Nelson is widely recognized as an American icon. His distinctive music and other social and political activities sometimes take a backseat to his pop-culture public image (firmly grounded in the acknowledged reality of his life) - that of an elderly, lifelong marijuana-smoking, tax-evading, biodiesel-burning, old-school cowboy-hippie troubadour.

His image is marked by his red hair, often divided into two long braids partially concealed under a bandana. He has been featured in recent advertisements for a variety of products and companies, including a 2002 spot directed by Peter Lindbergh for Gap where he performs Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" alongside Ryan Adams.