The Songs That Still Hit Home
When the country legend was recently asked whether any songs still bring a tear to his eye, his answer was simple — and telling.
“Yeah, there are a couple,” Nelson told GQ. “‘Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground’ is one. ‘Always on My Mind’ is another.”
It’s easy to understand why.
Released in 1980 for the Honeysuckle Rose soundtrack, “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” remains one of Nelson’s most vulnerable recordings — a ballad built on tenderness, regret, and quiet devotion. Decades later, it still carries the same emotional weight for both singer and listener.
“Always on My Mind” holds a similar power. Though the song had already been recorded by artists like Elvis Presley and Gwen McCrae, it was Nelson’s 1982 version that transformed it into a defining country classic. The recording earned him three Grammy Awards and became one of the most enduring songs of his career.
Together, the two tracks reflect what Willie has always done best: telling the truth in a way that slips straight past the noise and lands in the heart.
More Than Just His Own Songs
Willie’s emotional connection to music goes far beyond his own catalog. He says other artists — especially the ones he grew up listening to — still move him just as deeply.
“‘Stardust,’ ‘Moonlight in Vermont,’ anything Hank Williams did, Bob Wills,” he said. “There’s a whole lot of good music out there.”
To Nelson, music has always meant more than entertainment. It’s a unifying force.
“I still think music is what brings us all together,” he reflected. “Politics separates everybody. Music brings us back together.”
Still Singing, Still Showing Up
Nelson says that belief is one of the reasons he continues to tour. It’s not only about performing — it’s about what happens in the room when people gather around a song.
“They clap their hands and sing along for a couple of hours and go home feeling better. They agree on music,” he said. “Every time, I leave feeling better, too.”
That spirit has carried into the next generation. Several of Willie’s children have followed him into music — not because he pushed them, but because he made the space for it.
“I had music instruments all over the house,” he once explained. “I gave them an opportunity to do what they wanted to do.”
Willie’s Why
At 92, Willie Nelson is still doing what he’s always done — showing up, singing songs that connect people, and letting the truth live in every line.
And after a lifetime on the world’s biggest stages, the songs that cut the deepest still do — every single time.
