Introduction
🎸 The Outlaw’s Last Ride: Willie Nelson’s Wild Life and Troubled Tour
At the age of 91, country music’s chillest veteran, Willie Nelson, is back on the road for what may be one last hurrah, bringing legendary support acts like Robert Plant and Bob Dylan on his Outlaw Music Tour. However, recent tour dates have been marred by Willie’s unexpected absences due fueling concern about the health of the icon whose life has been as wild and unpredictable as his music.
The Stabbing and the Cheating Slip-Up
Willie’s personal life was famously chaotic. His marriage to his first wife, Martha Jewel Matthews, was a volatile affair fueled by alcohol and vicious fighting. In one shocking incident, Martha threw a fork at Willie during an argument, which reportedly “stuck right in his side.”
His second marriage to Shirley Collie ended explosively after Shirley found a bill from a Houston hospital. The bill revealed a birth certificate for a baby girl, Paula Carlene, born to a “Mrs. Connie Nelson.” Willie had to fess up, confirming Connie was his girlfriend and Paula was their daughter. This shocking cheating revelation ended his marriage to Shirley.
Dark Places and the Shootout
Before hitting stardom, Willie faced a dark period while struggling to support his family in Nashville. The pressure led him to attempt suicide by lying down in the middle of a road on a cold winter night—a desperate act that fortunately failed when cars simply drove around him.
The nickname “Shotgun Willie” was hard-earned, stemming from a real-life shootout. When his daughter Lana’s husband, Steve, caused trouble, Willie went to his house and slapped him. Later, Steve returned to Willie’s house with a rifle and started shooting at the building. Willie famously grabbed his own rifle, hid in his truck, and ambushed Steve, shooting out the tires of his car. When police arrived, Willie coolly claimed, “He must have run over a bullet.”
The House Fire and the Two Rescues
The famous story of his Nashville house fire often omits key details. Willie arrived home one night to find his Ridgetop house engulfed in flames. Displaying extraordinary bravery, he charged into the inferno to rescue two things that mattered most to him: his battered guitar, Trigger, and reportedly a pound of fine Colombian grass. Crucially, it was actually his son, Billy, who first smelled the smoke and rescued his sister, Paula, from her crib.
Willie’s recent cancellations due to doctor’s orders have made the final leg of the Outlaw Tour uncertain. While his health issues are a concern, fans are betting on Willie, hoping the man who survived stabbings, shootouts, and divorce can make it to the final encore.