Photo: Getty Images
Willie Nelson shared a heartfelt tribute to his late sister Bobbie Nelson, who died on Thursday (March 10). She is remembered as a beloved pianist, musician and author. She was 91.
The country hitmaker, 88, shared a message from the Nelson family, confirming that Bobbie passed away peacefully on Thursday morning. She was surrounded by family, who remembers: “Her elegance, grace, beauty and talent made this world a better place. She was the first member of Willie’s band, as his pianist and singer. Our hearts are broken and she will be deeply missed. But we are so lucky to have had her in our lives. Please keep her family in your thoughts and give them the privacy they need at this time.”
Nelson shared the message about his sister on his Instagram account, along with a sweet black-and-white photo of the two of them together. Bobbie was born on January 1, 1931 in Abbott, Texas. She reportedly performed in her brother’s band for more than five decades among her endeavors in music. The siblings also teamed up to write two books, including Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of The Family Band and Sister, Brother, Family: An American Childhood in Music.
“My grandfather had said to me when I was learning to play the piano: You know, if you really work at this, you could earn your living playing music one day,” Bobbie once said, per a statement from Wilson’s publicist provided to CMT. “And I never forgot that.”
See Wilson's post honoring Bobbie here: