Willie Nelson Opens Up About a Painful Period in His Past and Why He Still Wants to Perform

In Me and Paul, the Country Singer Recalled a Suicide Attempt and Spoke About His Future in Music

Willie Nelson looked back on one of the lowest points of his life in his autobiography, Me and Paul: Untold Stories of a Fabled Friendship. The country singer wrote about a past suicide attempt, recalling a period when he felt so low that he considered ending his life. When he spoke about the years ahead, he made clear that he still wanted to make music and perform live.

Nelson Spoke Candidly About a Difficult Time in His Life

The autobiography gave Nelson room to write about experiences that audiences would rarely encounter through his performances. In discussing the attempt, he acknowledged how desperate he had felt at the time. His account was a personal recollection of a crisis, told from the perspective of someone looking back on it years later.

Nelson also talked about how he approaches his life now. He emphasized optimism and said he wanted to enjoy the good things in his life while doing what he could to improve it. The details he shared were simple and specific, including two activities he makes time for in his daily routine.

Jogging and Singing Are Part of His Routine

Nelson said he jogs and sings as part of the effort he makes to keep his lungs healthy. Singing is familiar to listeners as the work he does onstage, but it also has a place in his ordinary day. He described it alongside jogging when talking about how he looks after himself.

His routine also connects to something he wants to keep doing. Nelson intends to continue playing live shows in the years ahead. Performing remains part of the future he sees for himself, and he has expressed no intention of leaving the music business.

He Still Looks Forward to Playing Live

In talking about the future, Nelson singled out live performances. Making time to sing each day and making plans to sing in front of an audience are both part of the life he described. The book gave him a place to tell readers about a period of despair. When he talked about what he wanted to do next, he was looking forward to getting back onstage.