Willie Nelson Explains the Hilarious Reason He Always Wears His Iconic Braids
on Aug 23, 2024
Willie Nelson shares the reason why he never stopped wearing his classic braids.
Willie Nelson may be a country music legend with countless hits, 15 Grammy Awards, and over 150 albums released during his 70-year career, but the 91-year-old singer has also become known for his trademark long braids, which he’s been sporting for the past five decades.
By now, most people either don’t remember the outlaw country artist without his iconic braids or have never even seen old photos of him with short hair. However, Nelson didn’t actually start wearing them until the 1970s. The braids have become such a recognizable part of his image that it’s hard to imagine Willie Nelson any other way!
So, how did Nelson’s braids become such a significant part of his image? In a Larry King interview filmed over a decade ago, Nelson shared a hilarious reason for sticking with the hairstyle. When asked why he kept the braids for so long, he admitted that it was partly because it annoyed some people around him.
“Well, it pissed a few people off, and I figured it was worth doing,” he said.
Nelson also recalled an interaction with fellow singer-songwriter Billy Joe Shaver that fueled the fire. When Shaver first saw Nelson’s braids, he wasn’t exactly impressed.
“I remember one time, the first time I started wearing braids, I saw Billy Joe Shaver in a studio in Nashville, he said, ‘You look outrageous.’ I said, ‘thank you.'”
Willie Nelson to Release New Album, Last Leaf On The Tree
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Willie Nelson has an exciting new project on the way. It was recently announced that he will release a brand new album, Last Leaf on the Tree, on November 1st. The album was created and produced by his son, Micah Nelson, who performs under the stage name Particle Kid.
The album will be a “collection of songs by rock legends, idiosyncratic singer-songwriters, alt-rock heroes, and indie folk artists” with themes of ” loss, love, and world-weary hope.” Among the tracks are covers of songs originally performed by Neil Young, Beck, The Flaming Lips, Tom Waits, Keith Richards, and more.
Listen to Willie Nelson talk about why he decided to stick with his iconic long braids in the video below.
