WILLIE NELSON (Nominated for Musical Event of the Year.)
Country Music Hall of Fame member Willie Nelson was a founder of the Outlaw movement, and with his latest Lost Highway Records album, Countryman, he continues that tradition with a reggae direction. Nelson has never been one to conform to one style or one genre of music. Born in Abbott, Texas in 1933, Nelson started singing in church at 4 and wrote his first song by age 7. He worked as a disc jockey in the 1950s and by 1962, signed with Liberty Records. After success writing songs for Patsy Cline, Ray Price and Faron Young, Nelson had a hit of his own with "Touch Me." That would be Nelson's last big hit for 13 years. In the 1970s, Nelson moved to Austin, Texas, grew his hair long, started wearing his signature red bandana, and in 1975 celebrated his first No. 1, "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain." From 1975 on, Nelson was omnipresent. He won nine CMA Awards; started a movie career with more than 20 films to his credit; recorded duets with artists including Sheryl Crow, Julio Iglesias, Waylon Jennings, Norah Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Sinead O'Connor, Neil Young and more; and started Farm Aid, an annual concert that benefits America's farmers.
CMA Awards:
Album of the Year 1976 Wanted--The Outlaws - RCA
Album of the Year 1982 Always On My Mind - Columbia
Entertainer of the Year 1979
Single of the Year 1976 "Good Hearted Woman" - RCA
Single of the Year 1982 "Always On My Mind" - Columbia
Vocal Duo of the Year 1976 Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson
Vocal Duo of the Year 1983 Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
Vocal Duo of the Year 1984 Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias
Vocal Event of the Year 2002 "Mendocino County Line" (Willie Nelson and Lee Ann Womack)
(Bio and Award Listing courtesy the Country Music Association)