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Watch Willie Nelson Talk About His First Time Performing on Stage

Depending on who you are, you either love the stage or are terrified of it. However, Willie Nelson is someone that feels at home while in front of an audience.

In an interview with Time from 2010, Willie Nelson reveals it wasn’t always that way. In fact, Nelson’s first time on stage was a traumatic one at such a young age.

“The first time I got on stage, I was about five years old,” starts Nelson. “It was at a church social, and I had a poem to recite. I had one a little white sailor suit with a little red fringe around it, and I was going to make my little speech.”

Willie Nelson said that as soon as he got on stage, things got…messy.

“My nose started bleeding all over my little sailor suit,” Nelson continues. “So I went up to make my speech, and I put one finger here to stop the bleeding and “what are you looking at me for? I ain’t got nothing to say. If you don’t like the looks of me, you could look some other way,” and I’ve had my first performance, so I’ve never had stage fright since.”

Willie Nelson Career

The bloody incident seemed to work out in Willie Nelson’s favor, as he has had a very decorated career since the poem at five years old.

Now, at the age of 87, he is one of the most recognized artists in the country throughout his life in music, specifically outlaw country.

The artist wrote his first song at the age of seven and joined his first band at ten.

During his high school years, he toured around his hometown of Abbott, Texas, as the lead singer for the band Bohemian Polka.

After high school, he tried his hand at the military, enlisting in the Air Force. However, the military discharged Nelson due to back problems.

Following college, he began to do well with his music career, so he dropped out. Willie Nelson now has 95 studio albums, 70 solo albums, and 17 live albums. Talk about an accomplished career!

In addition, Willie Nelson has made his way to the big screen in over 30 movies, including Dukes of Hazzard and the 2018 film, Paradox.