Willie Nelson

USA, 1956–now

American singer-songwriter (b. 1933). A Nashville songwriter for others until Red Headed Stranger (1975), he sings behind the beat and plays gypsy-jazz guitar lines on a battered nylon-string, and he made outlaw country a commercial possibility.

MusicRoots documents 5 artists who influenced Willie Nelson and 0 artists Willie Nelson influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Willie Nelson?

• Lefty Frizzell — Frizzell is among the singers Nelson names, and the source of the habit of phrasing a line late.
• Hank Williams — Hank Williams is the songwriting standard Nelson started from.
• Django Reinhardt — Django is Nelson's largest guitar influence - the single-line, behind-the-beat playing on the nylon-string is gypsy jazz, not country.
• Frank Sinatra — Singing behind the beat, letting the voice waver against a steady band, is what Nelson took from Sinatra.
• Bob Wills — Western swing is the Texas dance music Nelson grew up playing and never left behind.