Willie Nelson He remains the 92-year-old country music powerhouse, and after more than 70 years in the spotlight, he continues to perform and connect with his fans. The Texas native has become the name of classics such as “On The Road Again,” “To All the Girls I Loved Previously,” and “Pancho and Lefty,” and his legacy extends beyond music.
The life I love is Makin music with my friends…Thank you for welcoming us, Phoenix!
📷: AubreyWise pic.twitter.com/oqli7bvyvb– Willie Nelson (@willienelson) May 15, 2025
His personal life was just as colorful. Grammy winners have been married four times – Martha Matthews, Shirley Corey, Connie Coopke And his current wife Annie D’Angelo . “It’s not easy to live with me,” he admitted. parade In 2010, I looked back on his multiple marriages. “I’ve been used to doing things my way for so long, so I’m not interested in any suggestions.”
Let’s take a closer look at his lasting relationship with his ex-wife below.
Martha Matthews
When Willie was 19 and was discharged from the Air Force due to a back injury, he met Martha, who was 16 at the time. Sunset Blvd Records. They will continue to welcome three children: Lana, Susie, and Willie Nelson Jr. But their home was not a happy one. The young couple “became argued, brawled, drank hard” at each parade. The relationship became very unstable, and Martha once tied Willie to a blanket and beat him with a broom. Los Angeles Times. Martha denied the story and said she used a child’s jump rope instead of a blanket to tie Willie.
They split in 1962, according to Orlando SentinelMartha passed away in 1989 at the age of 53.
Shirley Collie
In 1963 Willie took Shirley to his second bride. Shirley had a successful career as a rockabilly singer, yoderer, guitarist and songwriter. Couples often tour together. However, the divorce was imminent after Shirley found a bill from the Houston Hospital’s maternity ward that stated Willie fathered the baby along with another woman, Connie Coopke. “The bill recalled accusations of the birth of Paula Carlene, a baby girl born to Mrs. Connie Nelson, in his memoir 2020, “Me and Sisters Bobby: The True Story of a Family Band.” people. “Shirley wanted to know who was Connie Nelson in hell. He couldn’t lie. He was caught flat. He had to put the words out of my mouth.
Willie and Shirley divorced in 1971. She passed away in 2010 at the age of 78.
Connie Koopke
That same year he divorced Shirley, and Willie made an honest woman out of Connie. Two years later, they welcomed another daughter named Amy. Their 16-year marriage brought Willie back to his hometown of Texas, where he felt he could once again connect with his fans. “I was in Texas and I really felt I needed to play with people who are still my base,” he said. parade. However, love never survived Willie’s problems, and they bid for Adieu in 1988. “I ruined another marriage.
Annie D’Angelo
Willie met makeup artist Annie in 1986 while working on a film Stage Coach. “In the mid-80s, I fell headlong in love with Anne Marie D’Angelo, called Annie. I’ve never met a woman like her,” he wrote in his memoir. The pair got married in 1991, and Annie quickly proved to be a stable ground presence in his life.
“I had friction with the other wife. But it seems Annie and I were both okay. We need someone special to live with me,” he said. parade. More than 30 years later, the couple remains happily married.
