‘ON THE ROAD AGAIN’ — WILLIE NELSON RETURNS TO KEY WEST

At 89, country music superstar Willie Nelson still draws enthusiastic crowds. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly

Country music legend Willie Nelson was “On the Road Again,” performing on March 1 to a packed house at Key West’s Coffee Butler Amphitheater.

Country music — and marijuana  — wouldn’t be the same without the vocal influence of singer/songwriter Nelson.

The outlaw country star’s music has spanned more than six decades and earned him nearly every award in the country music industry.

Even those who don’t consider themselves fans of Willie Nelson – or of country music –  appreciate and recognize classics that have spanned generations, including several covers and duets. Nearly every American older than 40 can sing along to “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain,” “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” (a duet with Julio Iglesias), “Pancho and Lefty,” “On the Road Again,” “Seven Spanish Angels” and “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”

Nelson has earned 15 Grammy Awards, along with dozens of Country Music Association and American Music Association awards. He ranks among Rolling Stone’s Top 100 musicians of all time. He was part of the 1980s country band, the Highwaymen, with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. He helped organize the annual Farm Aid concerts that started in 1985 and has served on the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Willie Nelson, 89, performs in Key West with his son, Micah Nelson, and his Family band. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
Willie Nelson packs the Coffee Butler Amphitheater in Key West on March 1. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
Mandy Miles
Mandy Miles drops stuff, breaks things and falls down more than any adult should. An award-winning writer, reporter and columnist, she's been stringing words together in Key West since 1998. "Local news is crucial," she says. "It informs and connects a community. It prompts conversation. It gets people involved, holds people accountable. The Keys Weekly takes its responsibility seriously. Our owners are raising families in Key West & Marathon. Our writers live in the communities we cover - Key West, Marathon & the Upper Keys. We respect our readers. We question our leaders. We believe in the Florida Keys community. And we like to have a good time." Mandy's married to a saintly — and handy — fishing captain, and can't imagine living anywhere else.