Willie Nelson
I think most people realize that our problems are our government, not me and you individually, except that we can - must have some sort of responsibility, because they're in there and they were elected, so we have to defend ourselves on those lines.Collection: Government
I think I'm basically the same guy I always was. Maybe I've learned, through experience, to rein in some of the anger and temper they say redheads normally have.Collection: Anger
I would like to see more airplay for all artists, no matter what age. I think there's a lot of money being spent toward the young guys, but a lot of the older guys are the ones who blazed the trail for those young guys.Collection: Age
Freedom is control in your own life. I have more control now than in the past, and I'm learning the value of saying no. That's very important.Collection: Learning
When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.Collection: Thankful
A lot of country music is sad. I think most art comes out of poverty and hard times. It applies to music. Three chords and the truth - that's what a country song is. There is a lot of heartache in the world.Collection: Sad
I'm a romantic slob!Collection: Romantic
Well the country songs themselves are three-chord stories, ballads which are mostly sad. If you are already feeling sorry for yourself when you listen to them they will take you to an even sadder place.Collection: Sad
I am not a pig farmer. The pigs had a great time, but I didn't make any money.Collection: Money
Three chords and the truth - that's what a country song is.Collection: Truth
I used to work in the cotton fields a lot when I was young. There were a lot of African Americans working out there. A lot of Mexicans - the blacks and the whites and the Mexicans, all out there singing, and it was like an opera in the cotton fields, and I can still hear it in the music that I write and play today.Collection: Work
America, to me, is freedom.Collection: Freedom
I think Ray Charles did as much as anybody when he did his country music album. Ray Charles broke down borders and showed the similarities between country music and R&B.Collection: Music
It doesn't hurt to feel sad from time to time.Collection: Sad
All my kids were raised on computers: They were home-schooled on the Internet, so they're pretty good at that stuff. And I'm proud of them, but I don't really keep up with it.Collection: Computers
Don't try to change anybody. And they should let you be yourself, 'You loved me when you met me, so let's keep going!'Collection: Change
When you're singing, you're using extra muscles, and it requires a lot of exercise and breathing. You can't do that if you're a sissy. If I have any fitness advice for people, I'd tell them to sing more. It's good therapy, too.Collection: Fitness
I never gave up on country music because I knew what I was doing was not that bad.Collection: Music
Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.Collection: Positive
I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?Collection: Government
You know why divorces are so expensive? They're worth it.
Cruelty is all out of ignorance. If you knew what was in store for you, you wouldn't hurt anybody, because whatever you do comes back much more forceful than you send it out.
If you really want to get along with somebody, let them be themselves.
My doctor tells me I should start slowing it down - but there are more old drunks than there are old doctors so let's all have another round.
I believe that all roads lead to the same place - and that is wherever all roads lead to.
Ninety-nine percent of the world's lovers are not with their first choice. That's what makes the jukebox play.
We create our own unhappiness. The purpose of suffering is to help us understand we are the ones who cause it.
Anybody can be unhappy. We can all be hurt. You don't have to be poor to need something or somebody. Rednecks, hippies, misfits - we're all the same. Gay or straight? So what? It doesn't matter to me. We have to be concerned about other people, regardless.
If a song was ever good, it's still good.
I didn't come here and I ain't leavin'.
As long as there's a few farmers out there, we'll keep fighting for them.
I'm from Texas, and one of the reasons I like Texas is because there's no one in control.
I been a long time leaving but I'm going to be a long time gone.
We're still here trying to get the word out that 330 farmers are quitting every week.
Where I grew up, Bob Wills and his western swing was very popular. And western swing is not that far from jazz and blues.
I was influenced a lot by those around me - there was a lot of singing that went on in the cotton fields.
All I do is play music and golf - which one do you want me to give up?
I think most art comes out of poverty and hard times.
You could make any song sound creepy if you wanted. It's all about the inflection.
We've already been reincarnated about a million times, maybe. It doesn't make sense any other way.
Freedom is control in your own life.
I just enjoy both working and not working. And fortunately, I work enough where I get that out of my system, and then we take a few days off, take a rest.
I like myself better when I'm writing regularly.
Sometimes there is a 36-piece orchestra going off in my stomach.
The whole house came up and I came up with it... I was just praying to the Lord to take care of me.
The first time I got onstage was when I was about 5 years old. It was at a church social, and I had a poem to recite.
I don't think any person has any special knowledge about what God has planned for me and you any more than me and you do.
I started out really young, when I was four, five, six, writing poems, before I could play an instrument. I was writing about things when I was eight or 10 years old that I hadn't lived long enough to experience. That's why I also believe in reincarnation, that we were put here with ideas to pass around.
When I'm driving the highway by myself is when I write best.
Waylon Jennings and I had a lot of fun recording together.