Willie Nelson 007

Willie Hugh Nelson was born on April 29, 1933.

Nelson is an American musician, singer, songwriter, author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. He was one of the main figures of outlaw country, a subgenre of country music that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana.

Born during the Great Depression, and raised by his grandparents, Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten. During high school, he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player. After graduating from high school in 1950, he joined the Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems. After his return, Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music. During this time, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in honky-tonks. Nelson moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he wrote “Family Bible” and recorded the song “Lumberjack” in 1956. In 1958, he moved to Houston, Texas after signing a contract with D Records. He sang at the Esquire Ballroom weekly and he worked as a disk jockey. During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including “Funny How Time Slips Away”, “Hello Walls”, “Pretty Paper”, and “Crazy”. In 1960 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and later signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price’s band as a bassist. In 1962, he recorded his first album, …And Then I Wrote. Due to this success, Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year. After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Nelson retired in 1972 and moved to Austin, Texas. The ongoing music scene of Austin motivated Nelson to return from retirement, performing frequently at the Armadillo World Headquarters.

-credit Wikipedia

The artwork:

The first print of this Willie Nelson illustration was sold in a silent auction at the Congenital Heart Walk Austin. The benefit leader had CHD and survived open heart surgery, as a one-week old infant. Now age 29, she was actively involved with the Congenital Heart Walk non-profit.  The artist is a CMV negative blood donor, having never been exposed to the cytomegalovirus. The virus is a deadly to low birth-weight infants. The Blood and Tissue Center in Austin will call the artist to donate blood when open heart surgery is scheduled for an infant. Was his blood used to save the life of the person organizing the 2016 Congenital Heart Walk fundraiser, where the print was auctioned?

Digital Print on Archival Matte – Original illustration done in graphite and the following Prisma Colors: Crimson Red and Dark Green after the Flag of Mexico – “Pancho and Lefty” by Nelson and Merle Haggard echoes the mutual supportive relationship between the USA and Mexico.

drawing done in July of 2016 – ©Tobin Signs/Look Closer Illustrations

DERIVATIVE Work – photo source: Information from answers.com The most trusted place for answers.

What you get:
$40 (36.95 + 3.05 tax)
11 x 14 Print Package with Authenticity Sheet
signed and numbered (run of 500)
Domestic Priority Mail $8 (Free shipping)