Willie Nelson has undoubtedly made a hefty fortune from songs that he wrote. It's Nelson behind some of the most iconic songs of all time, including Patsy Cline's "Crazy," Waylon Jennings' "Good Hearted Woman" and more. But there is one song that Nelson wrote, but didn't receive credit for, for one important reason.
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According to KXRB, Nelson was barely making ends meet when he wrote "Family Bible" in 1957, while working as a DJ in Vancouver, Washington. He needed money to support his family, so he sold the rights to "Family Bible" to Paul Buskirk for $50, a lot of money at the time. Buskirk then pitched the song to Claude Gray, who made the song a Top 10 hit four years later, in 1961.
Nelson did ultimately record "Family Bible," making it the title track of a record he released in 1980. While Nelson could have ultimately made a lot of money from that song, Nelson is at peace with his decision.
"I felt if I could write one hit song, I could write another," he reportedly said.
The Song Willie Nelson Almost Sold
Nelson almost let another song get away besides "Family Bible." He also penned "Hello Walls," which was a big hit for Faron Young in 1961. Nelson was strapped for cash, and wanted to sell it for $500, but was dissuaded -- by Young.
"I sang it to Sue (his wife), and she told me, 'That's a hit, honey you cut that thing," Young
recalls in an interview."I tried to sell it to you one time," Nelson recalls. Fortunately, Young had a better idea.
"I said 'No, no, you don't sell it. I'll loan you the money,' and so I loaned him the money. And about six weeks later, he had a check for about $20,000, and we've been friends every since."
Nelson is still making music. He will turn 92 on April 29, but still tours and performs. His last album, Last Leaf on the Tree, was released on November 1, 2024. Nelson also has plenty of tour dates on the calendar, including several with Bob Dylan, as part of Outlaw Fest.
