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Willie Nelson Sculpture To Be Unveiled In Austin

Updated: Monday, April 9 2012, 03:46 PM CDT
A bronze sculpture of the legendary Willie Nelson will soon stand in the heart of Austin.

The statue will be in a public plaza along the intersection of 2nd Street (Willie Nelson Boulevard) and Lavaca Street.

The eight-foot tall, one-ton bronze figure is a gift to the city from Capital Area Statues. The non-profit organization coordinated donations to pay for the sculpture.  Developer Stratus Properties will maintain it at no cost to the city.

“Creating a sculpture of such an icon while he is still living presents its challenges,” Sculptor Clete Shields said. “For many, the Willie they connect with is the Outlaw Willie of the 1970s, or the influential advocate for Farm Aid in the '80s, while others -- especially a younger generation -- grew fond of him during his more mature years. The sculpture needed to appeal to a broad audience and conjure up the fond memories of so many different people.”

The statue will be unveiled on Fri., April 20 at 4 p.m. Nelson will perform.
In 1993, the city unveiled statue for another famed Austin musician, Stevie Ray Vaughan.

It is located along the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail on Auditorium Shores.  Vaughan died in 1990 in a helicopter crash.
Willie Nelson Sculpture To Be Unveiled In Austin