With his new autobiography, Me and Paul: Untold Stories of a Fabled Friendship, Willie Nelson, the legend of the American country music divulges one of the most personal subjects of his life. Long-awaited by fans, the book opens into decades of friendship with drummer Paul English, but it offers the reader glimpses of the more intimate parts of Nelson life than before. Nestled between tales of friendship and ingenuity, Nelson reveals a painful experience of his life in the past- a period when he felt helpless and was in the brink of destruction and ending his life.
In a crude and meditative excerpt, Nelson shares the burden of emotions that once propelled him to the edge. His openness is in strong contrast to the superficial publicity of the carefree, laid back cream who has discovered fame and much popularity as the years have passed. It is a reminder that even legends are human, they are affected by both tribulations and successes. The fact that he wants to talk about this part of his life contributes to his lifelong authenticity and likeability.
Although this was a dark chapter, Nelson is categorical that he is not planning to slow down or give up the music scene. Hardly–he thinks of living life, making music, and doing what he loves so long that he is able to. Now in his 90s, Nelson has maintained an active lifestyle and attributed his daily jogging and singing as among the main aspects of keeping him healthy, especially as far as his ability to breathe and use his lungs is concerned. The practice, he remarks, keeps him in physical and mental form.
The optimism of Nelson is evident in the book. He looks beyond survival, he looks to thrive. His attitude and outlook on life is that it can and should be lived and savoured in every way, that being high at the lowest of ebbs. It also motivates him to keep doing his live performance which he affirms will see him do so in several years to come.
And with Me and Paul, Willie Nelson will give readers more than one man on the road: an unsparing chronicle of pain and strength and the strength of purpose. His is the tale of survival both in the music industry, and in life itself. Nelson is living in the present and is focusing on his future despite his internal reminiscing on the past. His new and old fans will look at his story and be encouraged and be glad that he is not vanishing.
