Cosmic Cowboy Willie Nelson has been inspiring Austinites for just shy of a century. | Photo by ATXtoday
A very special Austinite will celebrate his 92nd birthday on Tuesday, April 29, 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 many years, so we’re sharing 92 facts about the legend: one for each year of his life.
The annual Lucktoberfest features three days of live music at Willie Nelson’s property.
Photo by @luckreunion
• Willie Nelson has two birthdays — he celebrates on April 29 and April 30 due to a clerical error on his birth certificate. • At 13, Willie had already played with Bob Wills, the “King of Western Swing.” • Willie didn’t try marijuana until he was 21 years old, and even then, he refused it the first time. • Willie bought his beloved guitar, Trigger, in Nashville from a man named Shot Jackson in 1969. • Trigger has been used in more than 10,000 shows across more than 50 years. • Willie has a ranch in Hawaii where he spends most of his time and lets his horses run free.
International Dance Week 2025 | Monday, April 28-Thursday, May 1 | Times vary | Ballet Austin | $10 | Take a class for a discounted price to celebrate dance culture from around the globe.
Tuesday, April 29
Tuesday Twilights | 5-8 p.m. | Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center | Free with admission | Enjoy the flowers, bites for purchase from local food trucks, and rotating live music after hours.
ATXplained Live | 7:30 p.m. | Bass Concert Hall | $19+ | Learn from KUT journalists about topics inspired by the Austin community.
Wednesday, April 30
“What the Constitution Means to Me” | Wednesday, April 30-Sunday, May 11 | Times vary | The Topfer at ZACH | $25+ | This Pulitzer Prize finalist follows 15-year-old Heidi Schreck and four generations of her family.
Sunday, May 4
Billy Idol | 7:30 p.m. | The Moody Center | $30+ | It’s not a white wedding, but “It’s a Nice Day to…Tour Again!” with this star’s show.
The NFL gained a host of Longhorns over the weekend, including Quinn Ewers, who will join the Miami Dolphins. Twelve former Longhorns have been selected so far this year, which set a new record for the program. (Austin American-Statesman)
Biz
Hugh Forrest, SXSW’s president and longtime chief programming officer, is no longer working with the festival. Forrest, who worked with SXSW for 36 years, said leaving the organization was “definitely not my decision.” SXSW will be held on a smaller scale next year due to construction of the new Austin Convention Center. (Austin American-Statesman)
List
Aba and Perla’s Seafood and Oyster Bar are the best two brunch spots in town, according to OpenTable’s 2025 “Top 100 Brunch Restaurants” list. Brunching is super easy with the help of our guide, which features 40 of our favorite picks.
Award
Vandegrift High School football coach Drew Sanders has been named the Texas High School Coaches Association football coach of the year. Sanders is the first football coach in the history of the school, which opened in 2009. (KXAN)
Community
Calling all barbecue lovers — The Texas High School BBQ Association needs judges for the 2025 State Championship on Saturday, May 3 at Burnet High School. Judges will be tasked with tasting food from 100 teams across Texas, and the winners will go to the National Championship in Kansas City. (KXAN)
Mailbag
We’d like to give a special shoutout to our readers, Matthew and Alisha W., who sent us this email: “Your Austin mural guide inspired (us) to make a YouTube mural tour for our channel. ... Thanks for the inspiration, and we appreciate your awesome emails.” Watch their video here.
Mansion Monday
This stunning mansion brings the Tuscan vibes to ATX. With several fountains, an outdoor terrace worthy of painting, meticulous topiary, a sauna + cold plunge, a temperature-controlled wine cellar, and even an elevator, this estate leaves nothing to be desired.
Listen
Dallas picked another Round 1 offensive lineman: Tyler Booker. Get the biggest stories (and learn more about the team’s draft picks) from the local experts of the Dallas Cowboys with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Holiday
Whether you’re looking to start a new tradition or continue a beloved one, Mother’s Day Weekend High Tea at Mozart’s Coffee is a can’t-miss event. Treat the special figures in your life to a morning of elegance, happening May 10 + 11 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) — grab tickets.*
Try This
When you design your kitchen in 3D, you know what you’re getting before the hammering starts. See every color and finish in front of you with Lowe’s Style Studio, Austin’s new immersive, free-to-try virtual customization tool. Here’s how it works.*
Finance
They went from a 40-seat “blink-and-you’d-miss-it” bar to routinely topping “best of” awards lists across the country. Now Death & Co is expanding to Nashville, Seattle, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and even Australia. Don’t miss your chance to invest in Death & Co stock and lock in the current share price by May 15.†‡*
Hiring just got easier. Post unlimited job listings with us for free on the ATXtoday Job Board + connect with the right candidates faster. We’ve got your back.
Category
Culture
💨 Older than dust
You can click through the entire Gutenberg Bible online. | Photo courtesy of the Harry Ransom Center
Willie Nelson may be old, but there are older things to be found in town.
It has been 188 years since Austin was settled — 96 years before Willie was born. The city started as Waterloo in 1837 and was renamed Austin in 1839, which is the same year it became the capital of Texas.
All things considered, it’s a young city. To put it in perspective, Paris became the capital of France in the year 987, Oslo was established in 1049, and Mexico City was founded in 1325.
Let’s take a peek at some really old stuff you can see in town.
Gutenberg Bible | ~1454-1456
Acquired by the Harry Ransom Center in 1978, the Gutenberg Bible is one of the first books ever to be mass-produced using a movable type — aka a printing press.
Niépce Heliograph | 1827
The oldest surviving photograph made with a camera obscura, the Niépce Heliograph was captured by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in Burgundy, France.
City Editor Morgan recently told me that I look like Willie Nelson, and honestly, I kinda see it — a lot of people do, actually. The only person who doesn’t (so far) is my mom, who swears I’m a carbon copy of my late grandmother, which I am. Her photo is on the right.
‡This is a paid advertisement for Death & Company Regulation A offering. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please read the offering circular at invest.deathandcompany.com.
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