Zac Brown Says Willie Nelson Likes To Get Young Artists “Smashed” Before They Go On Stage

Sounds like Willie to me.

There are few artists in the history of music that have left the mark that Willie Nelson has over the past seventy years. From his key role in the outlaw movement in the ’70s, along with Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson and his legendary history as a songwriter to his famous run-ins with the law and his affinity for weed, the “Red Headed Stranger” singer has lived a life few could even dream of.

It should go without saying that Willie’s love for marijuana has become a key character trait for the legend at this point. Beyond creating his own company, Willie’s Reserve, back in 2015, the 92-year-old singer/songwriter has some legendary stories involving the drug.

From smoking a joint on the roof of the White House with President Jimmy Carter’s son, causing Toby Keith to miss Charles Barkley’s birthday party after getting him too high and even out-smoking Snoop Dogg (yes, THE Snoop Dogg) on 4/20, there’s seemingly an endless amount of great stories revolving around Willie and his weed.

Recently, Zac Brown stopped by The Rich Eisen Show to promote his new album, Love & Fear, along with his upcoming Las Vegas Sphere residency. In between detailing the process of preparing for the Sphere and watching his Atlanta Falcons blow a 28-3 lead to the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl after performing the national anthem beforehand, the “Chicken Fried” singer recalled his own Willie story.

After being asked by Eisen what his favorite Willie story was, Brown began giving both him and Dolly Parton their flowers, saying that there will never be anyone like them in country music’s history.

“Oh, I love Willie. Willie and Dolly are in such rare air, you know. There will never be another one of either of them.”

He’d then launch into his favorite Willie story. As the Georgia native recalls, years ago, they opened a show for the living legend. Before the show, Brown walked into Willie’s tour bus to meet him and was immediately met with two or three of his crew members who were nearly passed out.

“We opened up for him a long time ago, and I come on the bus and I walk through two or three elderly gentlemen that work with him that are halfway passed out, kinda stoned sitting there.  Then I come in and I sit down at a booth, and it’s like a curved booth like you’d have at the Waffle House.

The “Colder Weather” singer said that Willie then offered him to smoke before he went on stage, but he declined. Brown would also share that one of Willie’s favorite things to do with younger artists is getting them high before their show, simply to see how they’d react on stage.

“He’s rolling one, and he’s trying to get you to partake before you go on and play, which he loves to do. He loves to try to get people smashed, and then he likes to watch what happens. You have to turn down… I couldn’t do it. I had to turn down smoking with Willie because I had to work. But what an incredible guy, man. What an incredible legacy.”

Just add this one into the never-ending list of hilarious Willie Nelson stories involving his love of smoking.

Watch the full interview here:

Love & Fear Sphere Residency Dates

• December 5-6
• December 12-13
• January 9-10