“I think Ray Charles did as much as anybody when he did his country music album. Ray Charles broke down borders and showed the similarities between country music and R&B.”

American country singer, guitarist, and songwriter

Willie Nelson is an American country singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Born Willie Hugh Nelson, he became a central figure in outlaw country, a style that emerged in the late 1960s in response to the polished Nashville sound. He is associated with 79 quotes on the site. His reputation grew with the success of Shotgun Willie in 1973, then Red Headed Stranger in 1975 and Stardust in 1978, which helped make him one of country music’s most familiar names. Beyond music, he has acted in more than 30 films, co-authored several books, and taken part in activism for biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.