Who Is Willie Nelson's Wife? All About Annie D'Angelo

Willie Nelson and Annie D’Angelo married in 1991 and have two children

Willie Nelson had a tumultuous love life prior to meeting his wife Annie D'Angelo.

The famed country star met the makeup artist — who would eventually become his fourth wife and his longest-lasting relationship by far — on the set of one of his movies in 1986. The pair have now been happily married for more than 30 years, having wed in 1991, and they share two sons: Lukas and Micah Nelson, who are also musicians.

While D'Angelo likes to keep a pretty low profile, Nelson has frequently shared how much she means to him. "When it came to romance, I had a gift for complicating things. But marrying Annie wasn't complicated at all. It's about the smartest thing I ever did. I can say that because, 34 years after we first met, we're still together and going strong," he wrote in his 2020 joint memoir Me and Sister Bobby: True Tales of the Family Band.

Nelson offered her more praise in a May 2023 interview with PEOPLE. "I call her my pet rattler," he said. "She's my lover, my wife, nurse, doctor, bodyguard."

So, who is Willie Nelson's wife? Keep reading to learn more about Annie D'Angelo.

She worked as a makeup artist

In the 1980s, D'Angelo worked as a makeup artist behind the scenes of movies like Bachelor Party and The Rosary Murders, and her work would eventually lead her to her future husband.

She met Nelson on the set of a movie

D'Angelo and Nelson met in 1986 on the set of his TV movie Stagecoach, which also starred Nelson's friends and frequent collaborators Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Johnny Cash.

According to the New York Times, Nelson and D'Angelo first bonded over his hair; she agreed that he shouldn't have to cut his signature braids for the role. D'Angelo was 30 at the time, and Nelson was 53.

"My love for Annie was all-consuming, but winning her over wasn't easy," Nelson wrote in his memoir Me & Sister Bobbie. "She had to be sure my marriage was over and that I was truly free." Nelson officially divorced his third wife Connie Koepke in 1988.

She's a mom of two

D'Angelo and Nelson share two sons: Lukas and Micah. Lukas Autry was born on Dec. 25, 1988, with Jacob Micah following on May 24, 1990. Like their father, both Lukas and Micah are musicians, and both have played with their father as well as pursued their own musical careers.

Nelson spoke about his musical sons during an interview with PEOPLE in May 2023. "We've got a couple of great kids," Nelson said. "I am proud of them and all they're doing on their own. It's great to have your kids with you at any time, but if they're on the stage singing with you and they're good, that makes it even better."

In December 2023, Lukas and Micah performed alongside their father during the televised celebration of his 90th birthday which was filmed earlier that year.

D'Angelo is also a stepmother. Nelson has six other children from previous marriages and relationships: Lana, Susie and Billy with first wife Martha Matthews; Paula and Amy with Koepke; and daughter Renee with Mary Haney.

She and Nelson married in 1991

After welcoming their sons, Nelson and D'Angelo made it official on Sept. 16, 1991, saying their vows among friends and family in Nashville.

Reflecting on his previous marriages and his life with D'Angelo, Nelson said in a 2010 interview with Parade, "I'm not easy to live with. I'm pretty temperamental, you know. I've been used to doing things my own way for so long that I'm not interested in any suggestions ... There was friction with my other wives. But it seems like Annie and I did okay with each other. It takes a special person to live with me."

She has served as the inspiration for his music

Given that he's been writing and making music since the '50s, Nelson's musical catalog is enormous, but nestled in his 1998 album Teatro is an instrumental called "Annie," which fans have deduced is an ode to his wife.

She splits her time between Texas and Hawaii

While Nelson's career has kept him on the road for decades, D'Angelo and Nelson primarily reside on a ranch in Spicewood, Texas, where Nelson has lived since the '80s. They also have a home in Maui, Hawaii — a spot where they raised their two sons, but also where Nelson likes to host his infamous poker nights, often attended by celebrity friends like Woody Harrelson and Kacey Musgraves.

She had her own line of edibles

D'Angelo launched her own line of high-quality, strictly dosed and clean edible chocolates in 2017 under the Willie's Reserve label, including flavors like Maui Espresso Bean and Roasted Cacao Nibs. "Partnering with the very best growers and retailers is a win-win," she shared of her line at the time. "Our partners put the same love and care into their businesses as we put into our Infused Chocolates with healthy ingredients and the finest chocolate available."

"The thing about edibles is you need to know what you're getting into. Annie's chocolates are clean, I trust the dosage and I happen to love them," Nelson, who is well known for his love of marijuana, said in a statement.

She played the role of chef and nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic

D'Angelo kept the Nelson compound running during the earliest days of quarantine; she served as the grocery-getter, egg-collector and main chef, coming up with a weekly meal schedule for her family, and "turned the house into a hospital" when Nelson contracted COVID-19 in May 2022.

When Nelson got sick, D'Angelo sprang into action. "I had a nebulizer on the bus," she told the New York Times. "I started everything I could at that point, including Paxlovid. He had the monoclonal antibodies. He had steroids." The couple then left the tour and went back to their Texas home.

"We turned the house into a hospital," she shared. "There were a couple of times when I wasn't sure he was going to make it." Thankfully, the then-89-year-old icon recovered, but D'Angelo set up strict guidelines to keep her husband protected. "If I have to be the bad guy to keep him safe, I'll be the bad guy," she explained of testing and masking rules implemented after he fell ill. "A virus doesn't care who you are, what you believe, how famous you are."

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