At 92, country music legend Willie Nelson still steps onstage with the effortless ease of someone who has spent a lifetime turning heartache into harmony. While age and health challenges have slowed his touring schedule, they haven’t diminished the warmth in his iconic voice.
Nelson, who suffers from emphysema and survived a serious bout with COVID-19, recently shared what he calls his biggest secret for staying alive and thriving: singing every day.
Earlier this December, he took to Instagram to squash false AI-generated death rumors after canceling two shows. One AI-created image showed him in a hospital bed, hooked up to a ventilator. Nelson’s response? “Lol what a joke.” Alongside several photos of himself, he added, “If you believe those AI death stories one more time…”
According to an insider speaking to the National Enquirer, these rumors deeply upset him. “Willie doesn’t get rattled by much, but these death stories bother him,” the source said. “They spread so fast, and people from all over were calling in a panic—it was upsetting for him.”
His recent tour schedule has been carefully planned so the Red Headed Stranger doesn’t overexert himself and has plenty of time to relax and be with loved ones. “He’s determined to live many more years, but he’s also realistic,” the source added. “He knows he’s in his 90s, he has a finite amount of time left, and he wants to use it wisely.”
And the secret to keeping that time full and meaningful? Singing every single day
He also posted a series of pictures of himself captioned, “If you believe those AI death stories one more time…”