It's a Long Story | Willie Nelson

It's a Long Story: My Life | Willie Nelson

With David Ritz

How did a small-town Texas songwriter evolve into an enduring American musical icon? Willie Nelson presents his life tale in It's a Long Story.

About the Book:

Willie Nelson shares his life story in this "heartfelt" bestselling memoir of true love, wild times, best friends, and barrooms (Washington Post).

Unvarnished. Funny. Leaving no stone unturned... So say the publishers about this book I've written. What I say is that this is the story of my life, told as clear as a Texas sky and in the same rhythm that I lived it.

It's a story of restlessness and the purity of the moment and living right. Of my childhood in Abbott, Texas, to the Pacific Northwest, from Nashville to Hawaii and all the way back again.

Of selling vacuum cleaners and encyclopedias while hosting radio shows and writing song after song, hoping to strike gold.

It's a story of true love, wild times, best friends, and barrooms, with a musical soundtrack ripping right through it.

My life gets lived on the road, at home, and on the road again, tried and true, and I've written it all down from my heart to yours. Signed, Willie Nelson.

About the Author:

Willie Nelson: American Singer and Guitarist

Willie Hugh Nelson was born on April 30, 1933 in Abbott, Texas. He is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The success of the album Shotgun Willie, combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust, made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music.

Nelson was born during the Great Depression, and raised by his grandparents. He wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten. In 1960, he signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price's band as a bassist.

During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including Funny How Time Slips Away, Hello Walls, Pretty Paper, and Crazy. In 1962, he recorded his first album, And Then I Wrote. Due to this success, Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year. In 1973, after signing with Atlantic Records, Nelson turned to outlaw country, including albums such as Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages.

In 1975, he switched to Columbia Records, where he recorded the critically acclaimed album, Red Headed Stranger. The same year, he recorded another outlaw country album, Wanted! The Outlaws, along with Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser. During the mid 1980s, while creating hit albums like Honeysuckle Rose and recording hit songs like On the Road Again, To All the Girls I've Loved Before, and Pancho & Lefty, he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen, along with fellow singer Johnny Cash.

Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana. His book title, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings from the Road made The New York Times Best Seller List for 2012.

In 2015 he made the list again with his autobiography: It's a Long Story: My Life.

Frequently Asked Questions About It's a Long Story:

• Q: Is this book a deep dive into Willie Nelson's music or a broader personal memoir?
  A: It balances both completely. While it functions as a definitive autobiography tracing the behind-the-scenes creation of historic country hits, it focuses just as heavily on his raw personal life, early poverty, broken marriages, tax battles, and lifelong spiritual philosophies.
• Q: What is the overall writing style and narrative tone of the text?
  A: True to his public persona, the prose matches his signature conversational, poetic, and relaxed Texas cadence. Co-authored with award-winning biographer David Ritz, the storytelling feels like an unvarnished, humorous personal conversation over a kitchen table rather than a dry timeline of historical music events.
• Q: Does the narrative touch upon his high-profile activism and business ventures?
  A: Yes. The autobiography outlines his decades-long efforts outside of the music studio. It shares firsthand perspectives on his advocacy for the legalization of cannabis, his personal philosophy regarding clean energy, and his foundational work building and maintaining Farm Aid to preserve family farms across America.
• Q: How deeply does Willie Nelson address his historic financial crises and IRS battles?
  A: He addresses it with absolute transparency and zero reservation. The book documents his legendary 1990 multi-million-dollar tax dispute with the IRS, the seizure of his personal assets, and the clever release of his double album The IRS Tapes: Who'll Buy My Memories? to pay off his massive debt.
• Q: Are there collaborative stories featuring other major icons of music history?
  A: Yes. Fans will find detailed, personal accounts tracking his partnerships, late-night bus rides, and close personal bonds with industry legends like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Bob Dylan.

Bibliographic Data:

• Full Title: It's a Long Story: My Life
• Author(s): Willie Nelson (with David Ritz)
• Publisher & Imprint: Back Bay Books (An imprint of Little, Brown and Company)
• Publication Date: May 17, 2016 (Original hardcover registration published May 2015)
• Book Binding: Paperback
• Condition: Pre-Owned / Very Good
• Edition: Reprint Edition / Trade Paperback
• Pages: 416
• Language: English
• ISBN-13: 9780316403542
• ISBN-10: 0316403547
• Library of Congress (LCCN): 2014041189
• Primary Genre (BISAC): BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Music
• Sub-Genres (BISAC): MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Country & Bluegrass; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Cultural, Ethnic & Regional / General
• Dimensions: 5.5 x 1.13 x 8.25 inches
• Weight: 11.2 oz (approx. 0.70 lbs)

Explore the legendary life, career, and untold stories of a music icon. Tap to discover Willie Nelson's captivating memoir It's a Long Story today!