Willie Nelson: Country’s Latest Rock + Roll Hall Of Fame Inductee

It's been a hell of a week for Willie Nelson. Over the weekend, he celebrated his 90th birthday and played two nights at the Hollywood Bowl, joined by an all-star cast including Chris Stapleton, Ziggy Marley, Dave Matthews, Margo Price, Miranda Lambert, Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Sturgill Simpson, Emmylou Harris, Jack Johnson, Neil Young, the Chicks, Norah Jones, Snoop Dogg and George Strait.

And now comes the announcement that he will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year. To be eligible, artists are required to have released their first record 25 years prior to Induction. Nelson's first release was the single, "No Place For Me," released in 1957. So, Nelson would have been eligible in 1982. The first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction class was in 1986. Despite this, this year was the first time Nelson appeared on the ballot.

Willie isn't the first country music icon to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Last year, Dolly Parton was inducted. Other country acts in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame include Johnny Cash and Hank Williams.

Other inductees this year include Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Rage Against The Machine and the Spinners. The 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, November 3, 2023 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Ticket on sale information will be announced at a later date.

Let's be real: Willie Nelson is an American treasure. He's a guy who can go from hanging out in the White House (no matter who is living there at any given moment) one night to a honky tonk the next. He's collaborated with country's biggest stars, as well as rock, hip-hop, jazz and blues icons. He's more tha 70 albums into his solo career, he's just turned 90 and still shows no signs of slowing down. Not only does he still play amazing concerts, he still puts out great records, up to and including his latest couple of albums, I Don't Know A Thing About Love: The Songs Of Harlan Howard and Bluegrass.

How beloved is Willie? It's hard to quantify that. But at his 90th birthday concert celebrations in Los Angeles, he had a pretty much unprecedented guest list. (We say "celebrations" because the party took place over two nights). Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, George Strait, Stephen Stills, Snoop Dogg, Sheryl Crow, Chris Stapleton, Miranda Lambert and Dave Matthews were some of the performers. A few months later, at the age of 90 years young, Willie became one of the few country artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

If you're a younger fan and trying to figure out what the big deal about the guy is, you can start here, with our list of his best songs (in our opinion). One of the fun things about being a Willie fan: he still releases albums and they're almost always good, and sometimes great.