Beyonce is evidently a BIG Willie Nelson fan.
And who isn’t really? The 91-year-old living legend just keeps plugging along, releasing new music, and being one of the best country music icons in the business. If anyone is seeking out longevity in the music industry, just look towards Willie Nelson for guidance.
Beyonce is one of the biggest stars on the planet, but even she was starstruck when she ran into the “Red-Headed Stranger” while they were both supporting Kamala Harris at one of the vice president’s rallies in Houston, Texas.
Of course, it’s no surprise that Willie Nelson endorsed Kamala Harris… the longtime Democrat has endorsed a number of left-learning candidates over the years. He was famously friends with Jimmy Carter, and even smoked a joint on the White House roof with his son. He endorsed Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis in the ’80s, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden over the years, and he also campaigned heavily in his home state of Texas for Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke in 2022.
But getting back to Beyonce, the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer could not stop gushing about how much the country music icon means to her. He clearly was crucial in the artist’s latest move to test out the country music genre with Cowboy Carter – even though she insisted that it wasn’t a country music album. Bey recruited Willie to help her out with a couple of radio-esque interludes titled “Smoke Hour” and “Smoke Hour II” that she included on the album.
And even though they had worked together on that project, Beyonce was still taken back when the two influential artists’ paths crossed again. She posed for pictures with Willie Nelson, posting them earlier this morning with some very kind words directed towards the living country legend:
“The Great Willie! You are the coolest! I admire you, and I sincerely thank you for being the pioneer you are. Thanks for your impactful music, your advocacy, and the gracious way you appreciate and celebrate other artists! You are one of one.
You were so kind to me and the girls of Destiny’s Child when we fanned out meeting you years ago. And you greeted me with the same kindness 20 years later! You are one of our national treasures. Sending my love to you.”
If you scroll through the photos that Beyonce included, you’ll see that she seemingly got to take home Willie Nelson’s patented “Pretend-It-Never-Happened” red bandana. That right there is a priceless souvenir that Beyonce was very clearly excited to add to her fashion collection.
It even appears to be signed by Willie Nelson himself.
Also included in Beyonce’s post was a throwback screenshot from when “Queen Bey” was featured on the cover of Texas Monthly in April of 2004. Funny enough, she sported a red bandana around her head and was wearing a black and white Willie Nelson t-shirt. Talk about everything coming full circle.
Beyonce and Willie Nelson, both Texans, definitely have a deep appreciation for one another, and maybe we’ll see them work together again sometime in the near future. Having Willie Nelson on her album as a “toke-enthusiast/radio host” was great, but I think we could all use an actual song recording of the two singing together.
Until then, we’ll just have to keep cueing up “Smoke Hour” and “Smoke Hour II” from Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter: