Country Music People January 2020 | Page 5

WILLIE QUITS WEED Anyone who saw Willie Nelson performing on the recent CMA Awards show will be only too aware of the breathing difficulties the On The Road Again singer is having. Willie visibly struggled for breath whilst duetting with Kacey Musgraves. Now, the country legend and arguably the world’s most famous ‘stoner’ and ‘ganjapreneur’ who has his own cannabis brand - Willie’s Reserve - says that he has given up smoking weed, telling San Antonio’s KSAT TV recently, “I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful. I don’t smoke anymore.” Nelson credits smoking weed with saving his life after he gave up cigarettes and whiskey in the late 1970s. Earlier last year he told Rolling Stone that “I wouldn’t have lived 85 years if I’d have kept drinking and smoking like I was when I was 30, 40 years old.” A spokesperson for Nelson hinted that the national treasure who allegedly once smoked pot on the roof of the White House is still getting high as there are other ways of ingesting the drug. Willie’s Reserve also includes weed-infused chocolates and sweets and a CBD-infused coffee. Over the years the Red-Headed Stranger has become well-known for the ferocity of his own ‘stash’ which prompted Toby Keith to sing “I’ll Never Smoke Weed with Willie Again” on his Shock’n Y’All album but Nelson had to postpone some live shows last year due to breathing difficulties. The singer and songwriter told the San Antonio station ahead of two shows in the city that singing for an hour on stage is the best exercise for his lungs. He also hinted that he wasn’t going to stop touring any time soon and that he considers his tour bus home. Speculation about Nelson’s health prompted he and Buddy Cannon to pen the song I Woke Up Still Not Dead Again Today which was on Nelson’s 2017 album God’s Problem Child. JANUARY 2020 - cmp 5