Texas Icon Willie Nelson Celebrates His Birthday Twice

Willie Nelson turns 92 today or maybe 91. Depends how high you are when you try to do the math. Either way, don’t freak out if your cousin posts a birthday tribute again tomorrow. Willie’s always been a man of mystery and mullets, so of course he has two birthdays. Double the cake, double the weed, zero complaints.

Born in Abbott, Texas, Willie has somehow spent the last seven decades straddling the line between country legend and counterculture king. While Nashville chased post-9/11 jingoism and arena-sized ballads about trucks and troops, Willie stayed planted firmly in his boots, strumming for peace, pot, and progressive politics even when it wasn’t cool.

And yes, El Paso plays its own special part in this long strange trip. We’ll get to that.

Get our free mobile app

Why Does Willie Nelson Have Two Birthdays? Because of Course He Does.

• According to cousin Mildred (and who are we to question a 13-year-old from the '30s), Willie was born just before midnight on April 29, 1933.

• But paperwork got filed on April 30, and the government, as always, insisted that they knew best.

• Willie celebrated April 29 until he joined the Air Force, and they handed him a birth certificate that said April 30. So now? He celebrates both. Because why not? He's Willie Freakin’ Nelson.

• TL;DR: Time is a construct, birthdays are suggestions, and Willie plays by Willie’s rules.

Get our free mobile app

From Abbott to Outlaw: A High-Speed Ride Through Willie’s Life

• Raised by his grandparents after his parents dipped out, Willie and his sister Bobbie (RIP, queen) found salvation in music and probably a little mischief.

• He wrote “Crazy,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” and “Night Life” in the same week. Most songwriters would retire after one of those. Willie just lit another joint.

• After years of fighting the Nashville system, he ditched the rhinestones and slick studio polish to help birth the Outlaw Country movement. Think: less hairspray, more heartbreak.

• His ranch in Spicewood is called Luck, because “when you're here, you're in Luck.” It's where he grows things (yes, those things), hosts the Luck Reunion, and chills with wife Annie while still putting out records and touring with his sons.

Get our free mobile app

Willie Nelson + El Paso: A Love Story in Three Wild Scenes

• 💘 A Valentine’s Day to Remember: In 2019, Willie and the Family Band played a swoon-worthy show at El Paso’s Abraham Chavez Theatre. Nothing says romance like “Whiskey River” and a whiff of whatever's burning backstage.

• 🚨 The Great Sierra Blanca Incident: In 2010, Willie was arrested at a Border Patrol checkpoint near El Paso with a little herbal refreshment on board. The cops were not impressed, but the rest of us added it to the growing legend of America's most lovable outlaw.

• 🎸 Backing Beto: In 2018, he broke country music’s unspoken rule, “shut up and sing” by playing a campaign rally for El Paso’s Beto O’Rourke. It was the first time he openly supported a political candidate on stage, which, again, tells you exactly who Willie is: consistent, courageous, and couldn’t-care-less if your uncle gets mad about it on Facebook.

Get our free mobile app

Fun Facts That Sound Fake But Aren’t (Because Willie Is Just Built Different)

• He once smoked weed on the roof of the White House. With Jimmy Carter’s son. I mean… come on.

• He’s released more than 70 studio albums. That’s more albums than most people have functional thoughts.

• He’s been married four times and has eight kids. One of them said they only celebrated April 29 growing up until the government came calling.

• He acted in over 30 movies. Including The Electric Horseman, Honeysuckle Rose, and that time he played himself in Half Baked, a true masterpiece.

• He's worth about $25 million, despite the IRS once trying to drag him down. How’d he fight back? Oh, just with a double album called The IRS Tapes. Iconic.

• And yes, he’s still touring at 92. Which is either inspiring, slightly concerning, or both.

Whether you light one up for him today or tomorrow (or both, we’re not judging), there’s only one Willie Nelson. He’s not just Texas royalty, he’s the patron saint of doing things your way, staying true to your weird little self, and rolling the fattest joints in country music history.

Happy birthday, Willie. We’ll see you on the road again.