Musical Legend Willie Nelson on Farm-Aid, Bio-diesel Fuel, Outlaw Country Music, Marijuana Laws, the Impeachment of Bush

The name Willie Nelson is synonymous with the wide popularity country music enjoys in the United States and around the world. Yet Nelson”s career has very little traces of the conformity that often goes hand-in-hand with such widespread acclaim. No, the “Red Haired Stranger”—as he is known to his fans—has staked his legacy around challenging convention.

Musically, he shunned the traditional Nashville country scene by pioneering his own sub-genre, known as outlaw country.

And over several decades he has been consistently involved in social justice.

He co-founded Farm Aid, the annual benefit and awareness-raising concert for small farmers. Nelson has entered environmental entrepreneurship, partnering in a bio-disel plant that fuels trucks with vegetable oil. He has been a vocal advocate for decriminalizing marijuana, co-chairing the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws advisory board. He has voiced support for progressive candidates like Dennis Kucinich, endorsing his run for the presidency in 2004. And he"s been a harsh critic of the Iraq war and the Bush administration, recently calling for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Willie Nelson was in New York last night to headline Democracy Now”s twelfth anniversary gala event. Today he joins us in our firehouse studio for the rest of the hour.

Willie Nelson, Singer, songwriter and activist. One of the most well-known artists in American country music. He is currently on a world tour supporting his latest album, “Moment of Forever.”

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