Legendary Musician Willie Nelson On His Letters To America

> TURNING NOW TO A REAL MUSICAL LEGEND, AT 88 OUR NEXT GUEST IS NEITHER LETTING HIS AGE NOR THE PANDEMIC SLOW HIM DOWN.

WILLIE NELSON HAS MADE TWO NEW ALBUMS IN THE PAST YEAR AND HE'S TAKEN PART IN MANY CONCERTS, BENEFITS AND PSAs, ALL VIRTUALLY OF COURSE.

HIS NEW BOOK 'LETTERS TO AMERICA' OFFERS A DOSE OF HOPE.

H HERE'S WALTER ISAACSON.

THANKS, CHRISTIANE.

WILLIE NELSON, WHAT AN HONOR.

THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE SHOW.

YOU'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLY PRODUCTIVE PANDEMIC YEAR.

YOU HAVE TWO NEW ALBUMS OUT.

WHAT DROVE YOU TO BE SO BUSY DURING THE YEAR WHEN ALL OF US WERE LOCKED DOWN?

THERE WASN'T MUCH ELSE TO DO.

FORTUNATELY I COULD STILL DO THAT BUT IT'S BEEN A TRYING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYBODY.

LIKE EVERYBODY IN AMERICA, I LOVE THE SONG 'ON THE ROAD AGAIN'. ♪ ON THE ROAD AGAIN, JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN ♪

WHAT'S IT FEEL LIKE TO YOU, THE PROSPECT OF GETTING ON THE ROAD AGAIN?

WELL, IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR THE LAST SHOW WE PLAYED WAS IN HOUSTON, A YEAR OR SO AGO.

WE HAD A GREAT CROWD, LIKE 80,000 PEOPLE.

AND THEN NOTHING FROM THE END UNTIL NOW.

IT'S BEEN HARD, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND I KNOW THE MILLIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE HAVING IT A LOT ROUGHER THAN I WAS.

YOU RECORDED A VERSION OF 'I'LL BE SEEING YOU' AS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO GET THE COVID VACCINE.

♪ AND I'LL BE SEEING YOU IN ALL THE FAMILIAR PLACES ♪

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS AND FANS WHO ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT THAT VACCINE OR HESITANT?

I'M SORRY THEY FEEL THAT WAY.

EVERYONE'S ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN OPINIONS AND BELIEFS.

I HAVE MINE.

I DON'T MIND TELLING THEM THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M DOUBLE VACCINATED.

I'D FEEL BETTER IF YOU WERE, YOU KNOW?

THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH AND WELCOME TO FARM AID, THE CONCERT FOR AMERICA!

BACK IN 1985, YOU STARTED FARM AID WITH NEIL YOUNG AND JOHN MELLENCAMP.

YOU DID A VIRTUAL FARM AID CONCERT THIS PAST YEAR.

TELL ME, HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED FARMERS?

WELL, IT'S AFFECTED THEM IN A NUMEROUS WAYS.

THE CROPS ARE ROTTEN IN THE FI FIELDS.

THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME.

BIG CORPORATE FARMERS ARE DOING A LITTLE BETTER BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT BIG MONEY BEHIND THEM AND THEY CAN AFFORD TO MISS A YEAR.

BUT I KNOW FARMERS OUT THERE, THEY MISS ONE YEAR AND THEY GO BANKRUPT AND THEY'RE OUT OF BUSINESS.

IN YOUR NEW BOOK 'LETTERS TO AMERICA' IT'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF LETTERS, TO AMERICA, TO YOURSELF.

WHAT'S YOUR MESSAGE TO AMERICA?

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?

I'M TRYING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THERE IS HOPE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL HERE.

WE WOKE UP AGAIN WITH A RESPONSIBILITY TO MOVE ON AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE THIS A BETTER DAY.

IF EVERYONE FEELS THAT WAY, WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS.

IT'S BEEN A REALLY DARK PERIOD.

AND YOUR BOOK IN A WAY TRIES TO GIVE US A BIT OF OPTIMISM, BUT ALSO GIVE US SOME LESSONS.

TELL ME ABOUT THOSE LESSONS.

IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO GIVE ADVICE TO PEOPLE BECAUSE I'VE MADE EVERY MISTAKE YOU CAN MAKE.

RAY PRICE USED TO TELL ME JUST TO FOLLOW AROUND AND WHATEVER I DO, DO THE OPPOSITE.

THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY I FEEL.

YOU WATCH ME.

IF I DO IT, IT MIGHT NOT BE RIGHT.

I WROTE A SONG CALLED 'ENERGY FOLLOWS THOUGHT.'

IT STARTS OUT, IMAGINE WHAT YOU WANT AND THEN GET OUT OF THE WAY, BECAUSE ENERGY FOLLOWS THOUGHT, SO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY.

YOUR BOOK WEAVES TOGETHER NOT ONLY YOUR WORDS, BUT IT GOES BACK AND LOOKS AT ALL YOUR SONGS.

IT WEAVES TOGETHER THE MUSIC.

HAS THIS YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE WAY YOU LOOK BACK AT SOME OF YOUR MUSIC?

HAS IT CHANGED YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON IT?

NO.

I DON'T THINK SO AT ALL.

PEOPLE STILL NEED TO HEAR A SONG THAT SOMEBODY WILL SING TO THEM AND THEY CAN TRAVEL SOME WAY, PAY SOME MONEY TO HEAR SOMEBODY, ME OR SOMEBODY ELSE, SING TO THEM, BECAUSE THEY NEED THAT RIGHT NOW.

THEY NEED THAT MUSIC, THEY NEED THAT ENERGY EXCHANGE THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN AN AUDIENCE AND AN ENTERTAINER AND THEY'VE BEEN DENIED THAT FOR OVER A YEAR.

IT'S TIME THEY GOT BACK TO THAT.

TELL ME WHAT IT WAS LIKE GROWING UP IN THE TINY TOWN OF ABBOTT, TEXAS.

WELL, IT WAS GREAT.

ONE GOOD THING ABOUT IT, IF YOU CAME OUT FOR A SPORT, YOU'D MAKE THE TEAM BECAUSE THERE WASN'T THAT MANY PEOPLE COMPETING.

I PLAYED FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, RAN TRACK.

I DID ALL THOSE THINGS AND I WAS A LITTLE SHORT GUY THAT TRIED TO MAKE IT.

IN ABBOTT, YOU CAN DO THAT.

TELL ME ABOUT THE INFLUENCE THAT YOUR GRANDMOTHER HAD ON YOUR LIFE, A DEEPLY RELIGIOUS PERSON.

ONE OF THE THINGS MY GRANDMOTHER SAID THAT I'VE ALWAYS REMEMBERED ABOUT MUSIC IS THAT MUSIC IS ANYTHING THAT'S PLEASING TO THE EAR.

I BELIEVE THAT 100%. SHE ALSO TAUGHT ME ABOUT SHE PLAYED PIANO PRETTY GOOD AND SHE TAUGHT MY LITTLE SISTER BOBBI HOW TO PLAY SOME PIANO.

I LEARNED A LOT SITTING ON THE PIANO STOOL NEXT TO HER LISTENING TO WHAT SHE WAS PLAYING.

SHE RAAND YOUR GRAND FATHER RAISED YOU.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR GRAND FATHER.

HE WAS A GREAT GUY.

HE WAS A BLACKSMITH.

HE HAD A BLACKSMITH SHOP IN ABBOTT.

EVERY DAY I'D HELP HIM SHOE HORSES.

HE GOT KICKED IN THE STOMACH ONE TIME BY A HORSE AND HAD TO WEAR A BELT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE REALLY.

BUT I ENJOYED BEING THERE HELPING HIM SHOE THE HORSES.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

I LEARNED A LOT JUST BY BEING AROUND HIM.

HE WAS A GREAT MUSICIAN AND SINGER.

HE TAUGHT SINGING, VOICE.

THEY HAD SINGING CONVENTIONS THERE IN HILLSBORO EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT OR WHATEVER.

ALL THE GREAT GOSPEL SINGERS WOULD COME IN AND SING FOR A COUPLE HOURS.

IT WAS REALLY GREAT, GREAT MUSIC.

HE GAVE ME AN OLD GUITAR AT ONE TIME, A SEARS AND ROEBUCK GUITAR 'STELLA.'

THAT WAS MY FIRST GUITAR.

TELL ME WHAT YOU DID WHEN YOUR GRANDFATHER GAVE YOU THAT FIRST GUITAR.

I WAS THRILLED TO DEATH.

HE SHOWED ME A COUPLE OF CHORDS ON THERE.

I'LL NEVER FORGET IT.

YOU WROTE YOUR FIRST SONG WHEN YOU WERE 7.

WHAT DREW YOU TO MUSIC?

WELL, I WROTE MY FIRST POEM.

I WAS AT THE BROOKING NATIONAL HOMECOMING IN BROOKINGS, TEXAS.

MY GRANDMA WHO RAISED ME HAD PUT ON A LITTLE WHITE SAILOR SUIT WITH SHORT PANTS AND RED TRIMMING AROUND THE COLLAR AND I GOT NERVOUS BEFORE I GOT OUT ON THE STAGE AND I STARTED PICKING MY NOSE AND MY NOSE STARTED BLEEDING ALL OVER MY SAILOR SUIT.

MY POEM WAS 'WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME FOR, I ANIN'T GOT NOTHING TO SAY, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE LOOKS OF ME, THEN LOOK SOME OTHER WAY.'

THAT'S SORT OF BEEN MY THEME IN LIFE.

AT AGE 10 YOU WERE IN A BAND, RIGHT?

MY SISTER AND I STARTED A BAND TOGETHER EARLY IN LIFE.

WE'RE STILL PLAYING TOGETHER, YOU KNOW?

AND SHE'S STILL THE BEST MUSICIAN ON THE STAGE.

SHE'S BEEN OVER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BANDSTAND OVER THERE FOR MANY YEARS KEEPING THE BAND TOGETHER AND MAKING ME SOUND A LITTLE BETTER.

THROUGH THE YEARS WE PICKED UP A BASE PLAYER, A DRUMMER, A FIDDLE PLAYER.

NEXT THING YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT A BIG BAND.

I PLAYED IN A BANDPOLKA BAND.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I MADE ANY MONEY PLAYING MUSIC.

I'D BEEN WORKING IN COTTON FIELDS FOR $2 A DAY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M PLAYING IN A BAND AND I MADE $8.

I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, I'VE HIT THE BIG TIME.

YOU EVENTUALLY GO TO NASHVILLE, BUT WHAT CAUSED YOU TO REACT AGAINST THAT NASHVILLE SLICK SOUND AND WANT TO CREATE OUTLAW COUNTRY MUSIC?

I WASN'T TRYING TO CREATE ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM ANYBODY.

I WAS TRYING TO DO WHAT I FELT WAS RIGHT.

FORTUNATELY I WORKED WITH A LOT OF GREAT PRODUCERS UP THERE.

CHET ATKINS, WHO PRODUCED A LOT OF MY FIRST RECORDS, WAS A GREAT PRODUCER.

HE WOULD SOMETIMES USE STRINGS OR HORNS OR WHATEVER THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE THE NASHVILLE SOUND OR WHAT PEOPLE FELT SHOULD COME FROM NASHVILLE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT.

THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD MUSICIANS THERE THAT HELPED HIM DO IT, BRADY MARTIN AND ALL THE GREAT MUSICIANS IN THE STUDIO AT ONE TIME.

THEY COULD PLAY EVERYTHING.

DOC STARDUST OR MOUNTAIN DEW, IT DIDN'T MATTER.

WHO WERE YOUR EARLY INFLUENCES?

FLOYD STILLMAN, TIM DAFEN, LEON PAINT.

PAUL BUSCAR WAS A MUSIC TEECH -- TEACHER THAT TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT GUITAR.

I HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS AND A LOT OF HELP ALONG THE WAY.

♪ THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT ALL THE PEOPLE SAY ♪

YOUR LATE ST ALBUM IS A TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA.

YOU SAID HE'S YOUR FAVORITE SINGER.

WHY?

WHY NOT, YOU KNOW?

I LOVE HIS SINGING, I LOVE HIS PHRASING.

I ALSO LIKE GEORGE JONES AND RAY PRICE.

IT'S A DIFFERENT GENRE OF MUSIC, BUT MY OVERALL FAVORITE SINGER OF ALL TIME IS FRANK SINATRA, PERIOD.

I GOT TO SING 'MY WAY' WITH HIM MANY YEARS AGO, FOGGY DAY IN LONDONTOWN.

WE DID A COUPLE OF SHOWS.

I TOLD A LOT OF PEOPLE ONE OF MY GREATEST REGRETS WAS WE DID A SHOW, I THINK IT WAS IN PALM SPRINGS TOGETHER AND HE INVOITE ME BY HIS HOME TO HANG OUT AND FOR SOME REASON I HAD TO GET ON A BUS AND GO SOMEWHERE.

I'VE ALWAYS REGRETTED I DIDN'T STAY THERE AND HANG OUT WITH FRANK.

YOUR NEW ALBUM IS CALLED 'THAT'S LIFE' AND YOU DO IT IN YOUR OWN STYLE.

HAD YOU EVER HEARD SINATRA PLAY 'THAT'S LIFE' AND HAD YOU EVER SUNG IT WITH HIM.

NEVER SONG IT WITH HIM BUT I HEARD HIM DO IT SEVERAL TIMES AND I LOVED THE WAY HE DID IT.

THE ONE THING ABOUT FRANK, HE NEVER DID THE SAME SONG TWICE THE SAME WAY AND I DON'T EITHER, SO I DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER WHAT I DID LAST TIME.

YOU'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE AND ENTREPRENEUR IN THE WORLD OF LEGAL MARIJUANA.

LET'S GO BACK TO YOUR CHILDHOOD IN TEXAS.

WHAT DID YOU USED TO SMOKE BACK THEN?

EVERYTHING, ANYTHING THAT WOULD BURN CEDAR BARK, GRAPEVINE, YOU NAME IT.

WHAT I DID, LATER ON IN LIFE I HAD A LUNG COLLAPSE BECAUSE OF IT.

I'D SMOKE ANYTHING I COULD GET.

I WENT FROM ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO TOBACCO.

IT WAS A BIG MISTAKE.

YOU FELT THAT ALCOHOL WAS A BIG MISTAKE, RIGHT?

LED YOU BACK TO MARIJUANA?

ALCOHOL WILL MAKE YOU GO BACK TO EVERYTHING.

YOU GET A LITTLE DRUNK, YOU'LL GO ANYWHERE AND DO ANYTHING.

I'M NOT A GOOD DRINKER.

FORTUNATELY MY GOOD FRIEND PAUL ENGLISH WOULD GET ME OUT OF TROUBLE WHEN I'D HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK.

MOST OF THE TIME HE'D ROLL ME A BIG FAT JOINT.

I'D TAKE A COUPLE HITS OFF THAT AND PASS OUT.

ALCOHOL WAS NOT GOOD FOR ME.

YOU'RE 88.

YOU'VE HAD A TOP 10 COUNTRY ALBUM IN EACH OF SEVEN DECADES.

WHAT'S THE SECRET OF YOUR LONGEVITY?

YOU KNOW, I THINK THINKING POSITIVE.

BEING GLAD YOU WOKE UP AGAIN AND TRYING TO MAKE THE DAY WORTHWHILE.

I BELIEVE IN DOING SOMETHING EVERY DAY, WHETHER IT'S PHYSICAL OR WHATEVER.

WILLIE NELSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY.