American singer-songwriter born April 29, 1933, in Abbott, Texas. Among the most prolific and influential figures in country music history. Distinguished by his distinctive nasal phrasing, gut-string acoustic guitar (his famous "Trigger"), and his pivotal role in the outlaw-country movement of the 1970s.
Released over 75 studio albums between ...And Then I Wrote (1962) and The Border (2024). Commercial peak: Red Headed Stranger (1975), Stardust (1978, the standards-album sleeper hit that sold over five million copies), and Always on My Mind (1982). Founded Farm Aid with Neil Young and John Mellencamp in 1985. Member of the Highwaymen with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson (1985-1995). Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993. 13 Grammy Awards.
