Willie Nelson To Be Inducted Into The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

Willie Nelson is among the Rock & Rock Hall Of Fame class of 2023.

The Rock Hall’s Class of 2023 sees the legendary outlaw inducted on his first nomination. Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott and George Michael also gain entrance on their first nomination, with Elliott the only artist eligible for the first time in 2023 (to be eligible for the Rock Hall, an artist’s first commercial release must have come out at least 25 years prior to the nomination year). Additional 2023 inductees include Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners.

The nominees are chosen by 1,000 voters each year, including members of the music industry, former inductees and historians. They consider length and depth of career and the body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique are taken into consideration, according to the hall of fame.

These inductees will be celebrated at an induction ceremony and concert to take place November 3rd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

"Honoured to be announced as a 2023 [Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame] inductee! Among great company," Nelson tweeted.

Honored to be announced as a 2023 @rockhall inductee! Among great company… #RockHall2023 pic.twitter.com/2uopzg60YN

— Willie Nelson (@WillieNelson) May 3, 2023

Nelson celebrated his recent 90th birthday with a two-celebration hosted by Snoop Dogg, Norah Jones, Chris Stapleton, and more. Held in late April, the event included performances from Beck and Daniel Lanois, Edie Brickell and Charlie Sexton, Leon Bridges and Gary Clark, Jr, Rosanne Cash and Kris Kristofferson (in tribute to The Highwaymen), Snoop Dogg and The Chicks. 

More musical guests included Charley Crockett, Snoop Dogg, Jamey Johnson, Norah Jones, Tom Jones, Miranda Lambert, The Lumineers, Ziggy Marley, Lukas Nelson, Margo Price and Nathaniel Rateliff, Chris Stapleton, Stephen Stills with Neil Young, Billy Strings and Bobby Weir, and more. All artists were introduced by actors Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Garner, Owen Wilson, and Helen Mirren.

The Sunday celebrations featured fewer artists, including The Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Booker T Jones, Dave Matthews, Orville Peck and Allison Russell, as well as additional presenters Chelsea Handler, Woody Harrelson and Gabriel Iglesias. 

Nelson was recently a dual winner at the Grammy Awards, taking home the ‘Best Country Solo Performance’ award for Live Forever and Best Country Album for A Beautiful Time.

A Beautiful Time is Nelson’s 72nd solo studio album and was released on 29 April 2022. Produced by Buddy Cannon, the album includes covers of The Beatles and Leonard Cohen as well as the single I’ll Love You Till The Day I Die. It also peaked at #8 on the Australian ARIA Country Albums Chart.

Earlier this year, Nelson released his 73rd solo album, I Don't Know A Thing About Love.