April 29, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

🎂 Happy birthday, Willie

Cosmic Cowboy Willie Nelson has been inspiring Austinites for just shy of a century. | Photo by ATXtoday

A very special Austinite will celebrate his 91st birthday today, so please join us in congratulating the one and only Willie Hugh Nelson.

Austin has been proud to be one of Willie’s homes for so many years, so we’re sharing 91 facts about the legend: one for each year of his life.

Willie Nelson has two birthdays — he celebrates on April 29 and 30 due to a clerical error on his birth certificate.
However, Willie didn’t start celebrating both days until he turned 18.
Willie was born in 1933 in the town of Abbott, Texas, which only had a population of about 326 people at the time.

The Willie Nelson statue in downtown Austin. — This Willie Nelson statue was unveiled outside of Austin City Limits in 2012. | Photo via ATXtoday team.

Willie was raised by his grandparents, Alfred and Nancy Nelson, who both studied music.
A lifelong performer, Willie got onstage for the first time when he was five years old to recite a poem.
Willie was gifted his first guitar when he was 6 years old.
Willie first learned to play “Amazing Grace” and wrote his first song when he was 7.
Alongside his older sister, Bobbie, Willie grew up singing in his church choir.
Willie joined his first band, Bohemian Polka, as a guitar player when he was 9.
Willie’s 1980 hit, “On the Road Again,” was written on the back of a barf bag while on an airplane.
Willie continued to top the charts with “Pancho & Lefty” in 1982, which he released with Merle Haggard and Chips Moman.
The album won three Grammys and went quadruple platinum.
Willie’s first book, “Willie: An Autobiography,” was released in 1988.

Willie Nelson playing guitar in front of a neon sign reading "Luck." — The annual Lucktoberfest features three days of live music at Willie Nelson’s property.
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Photo by @luckreunion

Willie has a ranch where he lets horses run free in Hawaii, where he spends most of his time.
Willie hosts two annual festivals — Luck Reunion and Lucktoberfest — at his Luck, Texas ranch.
On Beyoncé's hotly anticipated “Cowboy Carter” album, Willie Nelson is featured on an aptly-named interlude called “SMOKE HOUR ★ WILLIE NELSON.”

75 more fatcs

Events

Monday, April 29

International Dance Week 2024 | Now-Sunday, May 5 | Times vary | Ballet Austin, 501 W. 3rd St., Austin | $10-$28 | Celebrate International Dance Week with discounted dance classes for a week.
Prateek Kuhad | Now-Tuesday, April 30 | Times vary | Historic Scoot Inn, 1308 E. 4th St., Austin | $25 | See the “Silhouettes” tour live from this musician who makes music in both English and Hindi.

Tuesday, April 30

Ladies Night Comedy Showcase | Tuesday, April 30 | 7:30-10 p.m. | Shakespeare’s, 314 E. 6th St., Austin | $5-$10 | Laugh with some of the best in the local comedy scene at this all-women standup show.

Wednesday, May 1

High Noon Talk: Texas Forest Conservation | Wednesday, May 1 | 12-1 p.m. | Bullock Texas State History Museum, 1800 Congress Ave., Austin | Free | Learn about the unique challenges facing Texas forests with a talk from Texas A&M Forest Service State Conservation Education Coordinator Jacey Tosh.
Taste of Mexico 2024 | Wednesday, May 1 | 6-9 p.m. | Republic Square, 422 Guadalupe St., Austin | $65-$85 | Grab a bite to eat from over a dozen local vendors, plus try out screen printing, Lotería, and an H-E-B photo booth.

Events calendar here

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Eat

Sink your teeth into this live-fire culinary experience

A chef skillfully fries a pan of shrimp at the Heritage Fire competition.

Sparks will fly at Heritage Fire, a traveling tasting tour dubbed as the nation’s hottest competition. | Photo by Raftermen

Fire up the grill, because Heritage Fire is bringing the heat to Austin on Sunday, May 5.

Over 20 local chefs will whip up mouthwatering creations at Star Hill Ranch, where guests can indulge in an all-you-can-eat spread of heritage-breed proteins (think: beef, pork, lamb, goat, rabbit, duck, seafood, and chicken) and enjoy artisan cheeses + heirloom vegetables alfresco-style.

After tasting each dish, guests will cast their votes to crown one chef as Austin’s “Heritage Hero” champ.

Get the juicy details + snag tickets

News Notes

Civic

Judge Andy Brown gave his first State of the County Address last week, focusing on four key topics: mental healthcare, opioid crisis response, gun safety, and investment in rail between Austin and San Antonio. Read the highlights. (Community Impact Austin)

Environment

TxDOT officials will rehome bats living under I-35 bridges at Wells Branch Parkway and Howard Lane to prepare for upcoming construction as part of the Capital Express North project. The bats will be moved to Walnut Creek Bridge in east Austin. (KXAN)

Weather

Around 18,000 Austin Energy customers temporarily lost power as a result of yesterday’s storms. You can check the power outage map to report an outage or check your neighborhood’s electricity status. (Austin American-Statesman)

Closed

East Austin coffee shop Try Hard Coffee Roasters, 1115 E. 11th St., closed permanently last week. Owners said they had taken on an unsustainable amount of debt and a new business would move into the space shortly.

Opening

An upscale cocktail bar called Prélude and tasting menu restaurant called Maven are in the works at 707 W. 10th St. From the mind of Chef Mathew Peters, Prélude (which will be reservation-only) will open on Thursday, May 2 with a focus on canapés, but Maven is not slated to open until late 2025. (Eater Austin)

Outdoors

Austinite Callie White pulled a 30-lb koi fish out of Lady Bird Lake while fishing there in mid-March. The City of Austin’s Watershed Protection Department said the fish was likely released by someone, as koi are a non-native species. (KXAN)

Ranked

Round Rock is one of the top 100 places to live in the US, according to a study from Livability. Round Rock earned a score of 807 out of 1,000 for its cost of living, solid economy, and pleasant environment.

Sports

Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton from the Oklahoma Sooners will play with the Dallas Cowboys in the upcoming season. Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Dallas Cowboys with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Health

Your health deserves more than relying on Dr. Google to diagnose your symptoms. NormanMD adult medicine and pediatric doctors can give you peace of mind with 24/7 on-demand guidance for your urgent health issues. Skip the guesswork, choose NormanMD.*

Travel

Whether you’re starting or ending your trip to Bat City, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport offers travelers a taste of Austin’s vibrant culinary scene. From mouth-watering barbecue and homemade ice cream to tacos, there’s something for everyone. Plan your foodie foray.*

Festival

ACL Festival 2024 lineup: predicted

Experience ACL 2021 by Chad Wadsworth for ACL Fest 2021 DSC09597.jpg

ACL will run from Oct. 7-9 and 14-16. | Photo by Chad Wadsworth for ACL Fest

The Austin City Limits Festival lineup could drop any day now.

City Editor Figi here. I’ve attended ACL annually since 2019, so predicting the lineup is a yearly tradition for me, and I’m hoping to see Lana Del Rey, Chappell Roan, and Grimes.

Enough from me — we asked about who you expect to see.

A handful of readers — Katie D., H. Hadley, and Steve W. — agree that Lana Del Rey is due to return. Steve W. also predicts appearances from Father John Misty, Blue October, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Jason K. said he would like to see Post Malone, blink-182, and The Killers, while Natasha S. hopes to see Reneé Rapp and No Doubt.

On the other hand, Steve K. is expecting the Black Keys and Neil Young.

As for our anonymous voters, they’re anticipating Leon Bridges, the John Butler Trio, and local Calder Allen (who has performed at ACL several times).

The Buy

Gifts for mom. Our guide has something thoughtful and unique for all the mothers in your life.

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The Wrap

City Editor Figi poses with an adorable goat.

Today’s edition by:
Figi

From the editor

Like any good Austinite, I find Willie Nelson endlessly fascinating. It’s hard to choose a favorite song from his vast discography, but right now, mine is this live version of “Whiskey River.” Plus, there’s something about his 1989 Don’t Mess With Texas campaign that always brings tears to my eyes.

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Willie was raised by his grandparents, Alfred and Nancy Nelson, who both studied music.

Willie’s 1980 hit, “On the Road Again,” was written on the back of a barf bag while on an airplane.

Willie has a ranch where he lets horses run free in Hawaii, where he spends most of his time.