As a songwriter and performer, Willie Nelson played a vital role in post-rock & roll country music. Following the crossover success of 1975’s "The Red Headed Stranger" and "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," Nelson was a genuine star, as recognizable in pop circles as he was to in country. Nelson borrowed from a wide variety of styles, including traditional pop, Western swing, jazz, traditional country, honky tonk, rock & roll, folk, and the blues, creating a distinctive, elastic hybrid.

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