Willie Nelson recently revealed that he remains committed to performing despite almost hitting the nonagenarian age bracket. With a career spanning over six decades, the 89-year-old singer has graced numerous stages and released several hit albums.
In a recent interview with AARP, Nelson disclosed his reasons for opting to celebrate his milestone birthday on tour rather than taking a break. “Working is really good for me, no matter what kind of show it is,” he told the news outlet. “The fact that I’ll be there for two days with a lot of my good friends coming out…saying hello and singing with me makes it a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to it.”
Willie Nelson reveals how he feels about his 90th birthday
Nelson expressed his thoughts and feelings about attaining the age of 90 very soon. “Norman Lear, a good friend of mine, turned 100 not long ago, and I told him, ‘I’ve been telling everybody it’s just a number,” the singer told AARP. “Am I right?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, it’s just a number.'”
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He also touched on the topic of retiring from touring. “Jokingly, I retire after every tour,” Nelson explained. “But I’m always ready to go back again. I like the bus. I have everything I need on the bus. I never have to go into a hotel room anywhere. It’s not that bad.”
The singer reveals how he has kept his shape and maintained his voice
In addition to his stellar music career, the singer pursued self-defence training, due to his upbringing in Abbott, Texas, where he had to fight various challenges. He holds a fifth-degree black belt in GongKwon Yusul but clarified that he doesn’t always depend on his martial arts expertise to protect himself.
“Mainly, it gives you enough confidence where you don’t have to jump out there and get into trouble,” Nelson said. “If they bring it to you, you feel confident you can handle it. It’s not anything I worry about because I’m not really afraid of it. I don’t really think I’m afraid of anything.”
Having spent years singing, Nelson also shared the methods he uses for keeping his voice in good condition. “I think singing is good for my voice,” he told the news outlet. “I don’t do anything to harm it much anymore. If you don’t use it, you lose it.”