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I've never understood people who think he's great. They generally strike me as a little "strange" too.

Willie has some catchy tunes, but I don't see him as a pioneer in any way. Johnnie Cash did some creative and different things, but what has Willie ever done (besides go bankrupt)?

For awhile, at least.

If you're saying their "outlaw country" wasn't significant, I would respectfully disagree.

Contemporary country music owes its life to Willie. He helped keep country relevant during a period in which the square-dancing, Hee Haw-watching crowd tried to strangle every ounce of integrity out of the genre.

revival, but he's basically been doing the same thing all his career. Think the country version of Burt Bakarat or maybe Neil Diamond. He's got his little niche and people like the kitchiness of it (which is probably why the superficial performers today like it), but he's not country's version of the Beatles.

Kris, Willie, Waylon--"outlaw country" is the reason country music doesn't completely suck.

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And I'll pretend you didn't just compare Willie Nelson to Neil Diamond.

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But I'll readily admit Neil DIamond was very influential.

So is crotch rot, I guess.

morning on the radio. But, I still hold my opinion with VERY strong conviction.

During a more competitive period, they would have been mediocre, but because they happened to be around during the trough, they are revered?

Take some enormously successful recording artist who fellow enormously successful recording artists list as a major influence and then proceed to inform us how that artist sucks and, therefore, those who listen to him/her suck. Substitute Willie for The Beatles, the Stones, Dylan, whoever, I've heard it all. The funniest part is the response when you ask the person who they like.

I suppose Waylon sucked too, right?

My opinion is of the singer. His voice is terrible. Now if you want to say he wrote allot of good songs, fine. Not that he did any more than many other song writers. He's no god of the industry.
As far as other artists considering him special, sure, there must be some reason. I just never knew what that was, nor has any explanations ever lit a light on the subject. Most of it, in my opinion, is just typical hype. These industries all throw out a bunch of hype all the time, in every direction. Whatever sticks to the wall.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about here. Why don't you take a look at how many platinum, multiple platinum albums and top 40 hits he recorded plus top 40 hits/legendary country songs he penned recorded by others - "Crazy," "Hello, Walls" and so on - and then get back to me.

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Very, very few have sold as many albums, plus almost none have penned as many successful songs. You are demonstrably wrong. There are a few who can match, but certainly not "a lot."

Ever notice how the people the theater geeks revere is not the person the rest of the world reveres? It's because they see another side of the person that is pertinent to their lives, but not to the rest of the universe.

Willie's had many, many hits, is one of the biggest country stars of all time and has written many hits recorded by others. Not an example of what you're talking about, at all.

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Someone loved by the masses, but dismissed by the high-minded. Willie is loved by the masses and respected by the artsy-farts.

got me thinking of this). Lots of commerical success, artists across genres generally like him, a decent musician, blah, blah blah.

Here's a song of his taking a shot at Nashville: