Texas icon Willie Nelson is publishing a new book this fall detailing his near-fatal battle with COVID-19 in 2022 and exploring the enduring bond he enjoys with his wife, Annie.
Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, announced Thursday that it will publish Nelson’s new book “The Last Leaf: Reflections on Late-Life Creativity — and My Longest Love Affair.” The book will be available on Nov. 10.
“The backbone of this book is a love story. The heroine is my wife, Annie, who kept me alive when I was sure I was gone. COVID nearly got me,” Nelson, 93, wrote in a release from his publicist. “I was hurting so bad I wanted out. But Annie wouldn’t let me go. The years I’ve lived since then are because of Annie. And so is this book.”
They met on the set of a movie in 1986 when she was a makeup artist, as reported by People.com. They married in September 1991 and have two sons, Lukas and Micah Nelson, who also play music.
“Woven into his recollections of his own life as an artist is the beautiful and often hilarious account of how the fiery spirit of Annie, his wife and best friend for four decades, has matched his own,” according to the release.
Nelson was born in 1933 in Abbott, Texas, a small town outside of Waco. He’s an U.S. Air Force veteran and iconic Texas musician with a decades-long career. He spends much of his time outside of Austin, in the unincorporated area Spicewood, where he has a home and a golf course.
The book also explores his continued creativity in his 90s.
In the last 12 years, he has recorded 21 new studio albums, written more than 50 songs, published seven books and headlined more than 800 live shows. His latest album, “Dream Chaser,” came out in May.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, he performed at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands with the Outlaw Music Festival Tour.