Willie Nelson before he was famous

The nobody years

1. 

   1940 Cotton fields, Abbott

   As a child he picked cotton in the fields around Abbott.

   Picked cotton in the fields around Abbott as a child. Source

2. 

   1950 Discharged in a year

   He joined the Air Force, discharged within a year over back problems.

   Joined the US Air Force, and was discharged within a year over back problems. Source

3. 

   1955 Door to door

   He sold encyclopedias, vacuum cleaners and Bibles door to door for rent.

   Sold encyclopedias, vacuum cleaners and Bibles door to door to pay the rent. Source

4. 

   1960 Sold for $150

   He sold Night Life outright for a hundred and fifty dollars, then left for Nashville.

   Sold the song Family Bible outright for fifty dollars. Source

5. 

   1961 Bass he barely knew

   In Nashville he played bass for Ray Price, barely knowing the instrument.

   Played bass in Ray Price's touring band, an instrument he barely knew. Source

6. 1933

   Was born in Abbott, Texas, and raised by his grandparents during the Depression. Source

7. 1942

   Wrote his first song at seven and played in a local polka band at nine. Source

8. 1956

   Worked as a radio disc jockey in Texas, then in Oregon. Source

9. 1960

   Sold Night Life for a hundred and fifty, and moved to Nashville. Source

Reconstructions of documented moments, generated with AI. Not archive photographs, and not depictions of real people. © The Nobody Years