Willie Nelson’s sister and co-star, Bobby Nelson, have passed away. She was 91 years old.
Bobby, who was a pianist, singer and member of the band Willie Nelson & Family, passed away Thursday morning “peacefully and surrounded by family.”
“Her elegance, grace, beauty and talent has made this world a better place. She was Willie’s first member as a pianist and singer. Our hearts are broken and we will miss her dearly. But we are very fortunate to have her in our lives,” the Nelson family said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. Please keep her family. in your thoughts and give them the privacy they need at this time.
Bobby has toured with her brother for over five decades. She was the original member of Willie Nelson and Family Band as a pianist and singer.
The family noted that Bobby and Willie’s love of music came from their grandparents, who raised the siblings in Abbott, Texas.
Bobby previously said, “My grandfather said to me when I was learning to play the piano, ‘You know, if you really work at this, you can make a living playing music someday.'” “And I’ve never forgotten that.”
During his teenage years, brother and sister joined Bud Fletcher, who later became Bobbie’s husband. Fletcher later died in a car accident, forcing Bobby to raise her three sons as a single mother.
At the time of her husband’s death, Bobby had quit music to attend college in Fort Worth, Texas, which later led her to take a desk job. While working at the Hammond Organ Company, Bobby gave her desk skills to work at the company’s music library. She also performed as a pianist around Austin and Nashville.
She’s previously described her return to music as “a cool thing.”
“I was so happy that I was able to sit down and play from my heart and soul,” she said.
She would join her brother Willie’s band in 1972 when he signed a deal with Atlantic Records. She not only joined him on stage, but also appeared in his albums.
Bobbie released her debut album “Audiobiography” in 2007. Two songs featured on the album Willie, who is now 88 years old.
Willie and Bobby also wrote two books together: the 2020 memoir “Bobby’s Sister and I: True Tales of the Family Band” and the 2021 children’s book “Sister, Brother, Family: An American Childhood in Music.”