Text Size: A A A

Free Willie!

What they didn't find on the Red Headed Stranger's tour bus.

Still smokin'.
Demian Johnston
Still smokin'.

Related Content

More About

Good ol' Willie Nelson and his band got nabbed last week with a pound and a half of ganja and some hallucinogenic mushrooms after being pulled over for a "routine" traffic stop by a Louisiana state trooper. While we'd expect nothing less from our Rasta-man Willie (not to mention a Bloody Mary Mornin'), it does serve as a nice reminder never to tour in Louisiana or other Southern states.

Country crooner Nelson, of course, has long been an advocate for the legalization of marijuana (along with organic farming and the ability to grow a long-ass double ponytail without being called a geriatric silly-goat). Sure, at the age of 73, he could have claimed the sack of weed was for glaucoma or a host of other ailments, but he took it like a Ramblin' Man, got his ticket for possession, and was On the Road Again.

Thing is, Willie really has made some amazingly positive gestures for the planet. And we're not talking about signing autographs free of charge, helping a little lady across the street, or playin' his fine gee-tar, Trigger—we're talking major philanthropy here. The singer started Farm Aid in 1985 (which has raised over $25 million for struggling small farmers); he founded BioWillie, a company that makes fuel from vegetable oils; and, most recently, he organized the Tsunami Relief: Austin to South Asia concert and CD to the tune of $150,000 in aid. Not to mention the tunes! Hello! "Crazy," "Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain"? Thank you!

But forget all that—forget the civic duty, the patriotism, the farm relief, the environmental entrepreneurialism, and the fact that the feds keep pickin' on our elderly outlaw troubadour—and let's just think for a moment about all the things that weren't on Willie's bio-bus and praise the Lord:

•Photos of baby Suri

•Weapons of mass destruction

•IRS 1040-EZ tax forms

Kevin Federline's new CD

•A razor

J Crew slim-fit jeans

•Endangered Costa Rican Sea Turtles (or belt buckles made from said Sea Turtles)

•The Juicy Couture catalog '07

•Meth, blow, ecstasy, heroin, Darvon, Prozac, Percocet, Viagra, or speed (note to Rush Limbaugh)

•Plans for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Yoko Ono

•Bumper stickers that read, "Just Say No," "Texas Is Bush Country," or "My Other Car Is a Hummer"

Boys Gone Wild videos

•Improvised explosive devices (IEDs)

•Aerosol cans

Natalee Holloway, Webster, or any of the kids you've seen on milk cartons

•Cattle prods

•Crack pipes

•Phone numbers for Dick Cheney, Liza Minnelli, or any of Nelson's four ex-wives

Mein Kampf

Hillary Rodham Clinton

•The entire Olsen Twins video catalog

•Diamond-studded grillz

•Ten tons of fertilizer

Jimmy Hoffa

•AK-47s

The Vegan Cookbook

•The Republican National Party platform.

•Entire first (and only) season of Chaotic on DVD

•Morning-after pills

•Hair Club for Men membership

•$16.7 million in back taxes (1990–93)

•Water-boarding equipment, electrocution devices, or interrogation chairs of any kind

•The movie Ishtar

•Members of Al Qaeda

Clay Aiken bootlegs

Gas Guzzler magazine.

•Televisions tuned to The View

•The Koran or cartoons making fun of the Koran

•Self-tanning machines

•Herbal Essence hair products or beauty cream

Paris Hilton, Newt Gingrich, Lindsay Lohan, or the cast of Laguna Beach

•Burnt American flags

And, hey, let's remember—no matter what went down on the bus, at least Willie wasn't drivin'.

info@seattleweekly.com

 

more by

Write Your Comment

*indicates required fields. Please enable browser cookies before filling out this form. All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking Add Comment, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.

Comments may take a few minutes to process and appear on the site. Please do not click the "Add Comment" button again while your comment is being added.

  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *

    (The four characters are not case sensitive):

Music Recommendations

User content provided by LikeMe.net + Village Voice

Alibi Room

Seattle, WA

The Pink Door

Seattle, WA

Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub

Seattle, WA

Peso's Kitchen and Lounge

Seattle, WA

Umi Sake House

Seattle, WA

The Triple Door

Seattle, WA
Give your recommendations on LikeMe.net >>

Most …

Seattle Weekly on Digg

Classifieds

Rentals

Now Click This