Guest of Honor

Willie Nelson Talks ‘Crazy’

We sit down with the iconic Texas songsmith, as SXSW draws to a close. Just don't ask him to remember what happened.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images
Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Music legend, classic songwriter, outlaw, folk hero: Willie Nelson makes it tough to choose your descriptor. He penned mega-hits for Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison, broke open the Nashville scene with his “outlaw country” music, and became an activist for a slew of sociopolitical causes. And there’s more coming, including a Ray Charles tribute album (out this week) and a spring/summer tour schedule which makes us tired just looking at it. Finally, this Saturday, director Billy Bob Thornton’s bio-doc about Willie closes the Film Festival at SXSW. In this chat with Brendan, he recalls growing up in his native Texas and his ‘Crazy’ start… and then promptly forgets both.