Here’s Why Willie Nelson Celebrates Two Birthdays A Year

When Willie Nelson stopped by our Biscuits & Jam podcast to share his secrets for a good life, he talked about growing up in Abbott, Texas, as well as his love of his horses, chicken fried steak, and gospel music. The 12-time Grammy Award winner also shared his thoughts on how to stay positive in tough times, but failed to mention his real secret: celebrating two birthdays. 

As he discussed on the podcast, Willie was born back in 1933 in Abbott, Texas, a small town about 25 miles north of Waco (well before Fixer Upper came to town). He was born late at night on April 29. In fact, he was born so late at night—just before midnight—that the clerk at the county courthouse couldn’t record the birth until the next day, April 30. As Willie told WKRN, "I was born before midnight on the 29th but it didn’t get registered in the county courthouse until the next day, the 30th. So, it went out officially as the 30th. So I just do both days."

Willie’s daughter Lana shared more of the story. Turns out that the country legend celebrated his birthday on April 29 until he was 18. That was when he joined the Air Force and got a copy of his actual birth certificate where he saw that he had been celebrating his birthday on the wrong day and started marking his birthday on April 30, like the piece of paper said. According to Texas Monthly. his cousin Mildred later set him straight, informing him that the official paperwork was actually incorrect and he was born on April 29. Willie being Willie, he just decided to celebrate both. 

However you count his birthday, Willie is celebrating his 90th one this year. To mark the occasion, on December 17, CBS threw a giant party inviting folks like Jennifer Garner, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Sheryl Crow, and more to come to Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration. To keep the party going, Paramount+ is airing a four-part docuseries, Willie & Family, beginning on December 20. By our count, that’s four birthday parties this year, which is befitting of the legend.

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