Profile
American Singer and Guitarist
#10 in Music Artists today
As of 2024, Willie Nelson’s net worth is $27 million USD. He makes $500,000 per concert. We will learn more about how Nelson squandered lot of his wealth due to addictions and affairs.
Just like Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson has reportedly fathered 11 illegitimate children with various women whose details were never made public.
Nelson has 8 more legitimate children with his four wives. He has lost over $100 million due to bad financial investments, divorces, drugs, and settlements with various women.
Drugs and Affairs
Nelson has been arrested several times for marijuana possession. The first occasion was in 1974 in Dallas, Texas.
Nelson’s assets were largely seized by the IRS in 1990 on the grounds that he owed $32 million. His friend Quincy Jones has helped him financially.
Apart from the outstanding taxes, Nelson’s predicament was exacerbated by the shoddy investments he had made in the early 1980s.
Willie Nelson’s net worth was further dented by his extramarital affairs which resulted in many illegitimate children and three divorces.
Nelson had to pay out an estimated $50 million in total to his three ex-wives as part of the divorce settlements.
Music Earnings
| Song/Album | Revenues |
|---|---|
| Red Headed Stranger (album) | $35 million |
| Always on My Mind | $20 million |
| On the Road Again | $15 million |
| Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain | $10 million |
| To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before | $7 million |
| Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground | $5 million |
| If I Had a Hammer | $4 million |
| Crazy (Patsy Cline cover) | $3 million |
| Whiskey River | $2 million |
| Hello Walls | $1 million |
Real Estate Assets
Willie Nelson’s real estate portfolio comprises half of his wealth. Below are some of the properties he owns.
- Pedernales River Ranch, Spicewood, Texas: 700+ acres with a recording studio, golf course, and amphitheater, valued at $6 million.
- Luck Ranch, Luck, Texas: Hosts annual music festival and used for filming, valued at $3.5 million.
- Island Home, Maui, Hawaii: Beachfront estate with private beach and pool, valued at $2 million.
- Old Haughton Home, Ridgetop, Tennessee: Historic home with five bedrooms, valued at $1 million.
- Malibu Beach House, Malibu, California: Beachfront property with ocean views, valued at $3 million.
Willie Nelson Net Worth 2024 (Forbes)
| Full Name | Willie Hugh Nelson |
| Profession | American singer |
| Net Worth | $27 Million |
| Concert Income | $100k per show |
| Music Royalties | $3 Million |
| Annual Income | $5 Million |
Personal Life
Willie Nelson has been married four times and has eight children. His first marriage was to Martha Matthews from 1952 to 1962.
The couple had three children: Lana, Susie, and Willie “Billy” Hugh Jr. The latter died by suicide in 1991.
Nelson’s second marriage was to Shirley Collie in 1963. They had no children together. Nelson’s third marriage was to Connie Koepke in 1971. They had two daughters together: Paula and Amy.
Nelson’s fourth and current marriage was to Annie D’Angelo in 1991. They have two sons together: Lukas and Micah. 50% of Willie Nelson’s net worth will go towards his children, as per Forbes.
In 2012, Nelson learned that he had another daughter, Renee Butts, with his friend Mary Haney. Butts died in 2017.
Career
Nelson moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1960 to pursue a career in music. He initially worked as a songwriter, writing hits for other artists such as Patsy Cline, Faron Young, and Ray Price.
Nelson also released his own solo albums, but he did not achieve major commercial success until the early 1970s.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Nelson continued to record and tour prolifically. He also became involved in social and political activism. In 1985, he co-founded Farm Aid, a charity that provides financial assistance to struggling farmers.