Willie Nelson: Rednecks, Thai Sticks and Lone Star Been

Country Willie's done it again. He threw a picnic on the 4th of July and everybody came. I use the word "everybody" advisedly. 95,000 people may not be everybody in the world, but it sure looks like it if you're trying to find a place to park.

And, of course, "Country Willie" isn't just anybody. He's Willie Nelson. That may not mean much around where you live, but in Texas it means a hell of a lot. It means the Governor up and declares the nation's 199th birthday Willie Nelson Day, for one thing. In Texas, when Willie Nelson speaks, people—all kinds of people—listen. They've been listening for three years now, ever since Willie gave up on trying to be both successful and sane as a Nashville songwriter. He was plenty successful, and that was the problem. The move back to his home state of Texas was just what he needed.