On June 5, 1987, musician Willie Nelson became the first honoree of the Texas Walk of Stars with a ceremony outside the Driskill Hotel in Austin. Similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, the Texas Walk of Stars pays tribute to Texans famous for their contributions to the arts, sciences, sports, and politics. It was started by the Sixth Street Conservation Society to promote local tourism and the history of the Sixth Street District. This video, likely produced by the Austin Chamber of Commerce captures the dedication ceremony, including performances by Floyd Tillman, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Nelson himself.

Willie Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas on April 29, 1933. He is a world-renowned country music singer and musician as well as an actor, activist, and author. His most famous country albums include Shotgun Willie (1973), Red Headed Stranger (1975), and Stardust (1978). Nelson popularized the “outlaw country” subgenre along with Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings, and has written some of the most famous country music songs ever recorded, including Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,” which he wrote at the ripe age of 19, “On the Road Again,” and “Pancho and Lefty.” His primary musical collaboration is with Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings, performing as the Highwaymen, among many others. Nelson was named the honorary chairman of the advisory board of the official music charity of the State of Texas, the Texas Music Project, for his philanthropic work in and outside the music community. He was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and received a 1998 Kennedy Center Honor.

Nelson founded the annual fundraiser Farm Aid, which benefits the local, American, small farmer, and has featured multitudes of musicians of different genres.

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