{"id":390259,"date":"2026-07-29T06:40:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T06:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/390259\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T06:40:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T06:40:20","slug":"willie-nelson-calls-to-stop-data-center-in-his-texas-hometown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/390259\/","title":{"rendered":"Willie Nelson calls to stop data center in his Texas hometown"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Willie Nelson isn\u2019t happy a data center is headed to his North Texas hometown. Credit: Shutterstock \/ Randy Miramontez<\/p>\n

Blue eyes are cryin\u2019 in the rain over the Texas data center influx.<\/p>\n

In a Tuesday Instagram post<\/a>, Lone Star State musical icon Willie Nelson lamented that one of the massive computing complexes may soon be located in his hometown of Abbott. <\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night,\u201d Nelson said in an impassioned plea to slow the spread of data centers. \u201cAnd now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centers invading our land.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abbott is located 24 miles north of Waco along Interstate 35. Its population is fewer than 400.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting data center anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter),\u201d Nelson continued. \u201cThe strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints. It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses and a connection to the land.\u201d<\/p>\n

In March, Nelson faced criticism for using a generative AI poster<\/a> for his Fourth of July Picnic \u2014 a move that left some fans feeling betrayed by an artist admired for his authenticity.<\/p>\n

However, Nelson\u2019s involvement in the decision to use AI for the show \u2014 a collaboration between Live Nation and Blackbird Presents \u2014 remains unclear. Even if the singer-songwriter was involved, he would hardly be the only American to use AI while simultaneously not approving of having a data center in their own backyard.<\/p>\n

Indeed, more than 70% of Americans said they would not want an AI data center in their neighborhood, according to a recent Gallup poll<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of America deserves thoughtful stewardship that doesn\u2019t steal farmland (where our essential shared-food is grown) and small family farmers\u2019 livelihoods, and not data centers that only destroy the environment around them,\u201d Nelson added in his post. \u201cWhoever controls food and water, controls the masses. Let\u2019s not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the U.S. and especially in Abbott.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Willie\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\u2018The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints,\u2019 Nelson said.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Pediatrician\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tDr. Anita Patel\u2019s comments came after she visited the immigrant detention center near San Antonio as part of a delegation led by U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro. \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Texas\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tEnergy regulators say they don\u2019t have the authority to ask data centers to reduce power consumption ahead of state emergencies.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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