Through Thick and Thin For Three Decades
Nelson has indeed gone through so many heartbreaks, it’s great how he was able to keep his sense of humor and at the same time remain hopeful about his marriage to Annie D’Angelo. When he was asked in a 2012 interview if he thinks that D’Angelo was “the real love of his life.”
Nelson jokingly responded by saying, “Well, for the moment she is.” Nelson later told Rolling Stone how he found stability in D’Angelo. “She’s been with me through thick and thin.”
She has been with him through the worse parts. Just a few months after they got married, Willie’s first son, Billy Nelson, was found dead in his log-cabin home in Davidson County, Tennessee. A Medical Examiner confirmed that the death was a suicide.
Billy was 33-years-old then, and his tragic death left his father shocked and crushed. Nelson later looked back on the moment he heard the devastating news. “I’ve never experienced anything so devastating in my life,” he said. It was indeed one of the darkest moments in Nelson’s entire life; luckily, he has D’Angelo by his side to mourn with him and offer comfort.
Now, everything seems going smoothly with the music icon’s life. Willie Nelson’s spouse has been supportive in everything Nelson would do, even all sorts of activism, social justice, and conservation efforts
For instance, in 2017, Nelson and D’Angelo have been vocally supporting the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock. The couple was even very generous that they donated enough money to build a shelter for the Water Protectors. Nelson and D’Angelo are also strong supporters of animal rights, environmental activism, local farms, as well as the Occupy Wall Street movement.
In early 2018, D’Angelo has also become Nelson’s business partner. Nelson announced that they had raised about $12 million to expand his latest business venture, Willie’s Reserve, a line of cannabis products garnered from responsible growers, which he founded in 2015. It aims to deliver Nelson’s herbal remedy of choice to customers located in states which have legalized the product.
And recently, D’Angelo is piggybacking on Nelson’s marijuana advocacy as she announced her own business, Annie’s Edibles. Annie’s Edibles makes its debut with artisan chocolates as the first product and is now available at select dispensaries in Washington State.
Nelsons’ friends also credit D’Angelo for keeping Nelson healthy. The couple bike and swim at their second home in Maui, and she has helped him cut back on bacon. She also helped bring down his payroll. Different sources have said that many people were taking financial advantage of Nelson’s generosity. “There were a lot of people sponging off him, even though he didn’t look at it that way,” says Johnny Bush, Nelson’s close friend.
The couple is now spending most of their days either on their Spicewood, Texas ranch, or at their relaxing home in Maui, Hawaii. And since the country superstar has no plan on retiring or slowing down, the couple also spends time together traveling for different concerts on Nelson’s tour bus.
As for Willie Nelson’s Children with Annie D’Angelo, both have chosen to follow the footsteps of their father on becoming a musician. Lukas has particularly been able to achieve much better success in the industry.
He is a member of an American country rock band named Promise of the Real, sometimes referred to as POTR. The group has been the backing band for Canadian singer Neil Young ever since 2015. Lukas’ band has recorded two studio albums, a soundtrack album, and a live album with Young. He has also been a big part of the film A Star Is Born. He wrote songs for the movie and even appeared in it.
Micah, on the other hand, has performed at many events such as FarmAid, Coachella, and Neil Young’s Bridge School Benefit. His style is non-traditional and “heavily influenced by movie soundtracks.” He performs as ‘Particle Kid’ and also performs with his band known as Insects Vs. Robots.
In October 2017, Lukas, Micah, and Willie Nelson dropped the collaborative album “Willie Nelson and the Boys.” The 12-song-album features mostly of covers of country standards made famous by other top country acts. The track “Healing Hands of Time” is the only Willie Nelson original cut for the record.
Nelson’s path to love is absolutely not a conventional one, but it’s inspiring enough to make us believe that true love exists. We wish him many more years with Annie D’Angelo!