Willie Nelson Speaks Out Against “Invading” Data Centers
on Jul 29, 2026 • Updated Jul 29, 2026
Maverick country artist Willie Nelson is joining the growing wave of Americans who are opposed to the establishing of data centers for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other tech ventures.
Recently, companies that power AI have been requesting permission from local governments to create data centers.
Rural land, which offers space and presumed isolation, has often been the target.
Now, Willie Nelson is lending his voice to the cause, putting farmers and American land over the interests of the industries that threaten them.
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See Willie Nelson’s Full Statement Against Data Centers
“I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night,” wrote Willie Nelson, who is 93, in a July 28 social media statement. “And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centers invading our land.”
Many places in Texas — including the Central Texas city of Abbott, located in Hill County, Texas — have been confronted with the surge in development of data centers.
A lawsuit was settled on July 15 in Hill County regarding a moratorium that community leadership placed on the establishing of data centers.
This moratorium was placed after a data center developer called RCM Hill LLC sued for $100 million in damages.
Now, the moratorium has been lifted, and RCM Hill LLC is moving forward with an 800-acre development, costing $80 million, according to KWTX.
This settlement also led to the Hill County government paying $100,000 in attorney fees for RCM Hill LLC.
Willie wrote, “The last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting, data center anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter).”
Beautifully, Willie continued his post, writing:
“The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints. It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land. All of America deserves thoughtful stewardship that doesn’t steal farmland (where our essential shared-food is grown) and small family farmers’ livelihoods, and not data centers that only destroy the environment around them.”
Willie added, “Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses.”
Of course, Willie co-founded Farm Aid with Neil Young and John Mellencamp in 1985.
“Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America,” its website states. “We’re best known for our annual music, food and farm festival, but the truth is we work each and every day, year-round to build a system of agriculture that values family farmers, good food, soil and water, and strong communities.”
Concluding his post in opposition to data centers, Willie wrote, “Let’s not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the U.S. and especially in Abbott.”
In the comments on Willie’s post on Instagram, singer-songwriter Margo Price (who is on the board for Farm Aid) responded, emphatically stating, “Yes yes yes.”
See Willie’s full statement, here:
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KCEN-TV 6 News noted that a forthcoming data center in Temple, Texas, led to a grassroots movement, called Temple Stands Together, pushing to recall several elected officials who voted to authorize the creation of a data center.
Residents are concerned about the city’s water plan, which they say is particularly outdated when looking at something like a data center.
Texans even protested in the State Capitol earlier in July, expressing their opposition to data centers, KCEN-TV 6 News reported.
Outside of Texas, country artist Brad Paisley has been very vocal in his opposition to a data center planned for development in the industrial park beside the Nashville Zoo.
This is a developing story.
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