Bobbie Nelson the renowned pianist and sister of Willie Nelson breathed her last at the age of 91.
The family released a statement saying “she died peacefully and surrounded by family.”
The cause of death was not revealed.
Bobbie Nelson played pianist for Willie Nelson and family band for more than 5 decades. Willie Nelson and Bobbie Nelson worked professionally together for more than five decades as a team. They performed their last gig together on October 9th at the Whitewater Amphitheatre located in New Braunfels, Texas.
“There’s just no way to explain how lucky I am to have a good musician in the family,” Willie Nelson stated in an interview back in 2007. “Whenever I’ve needed a piano player, I’ve had Sister Bobbie right there. … Whenever our band plays, Sister Bobbie is the best musician on the stage.”
Willie Nelson loved and adored his sister profusely. He released his albums with her as a duo. He also released the books with the help of his sister Bobbie Nelson.
The Nelsons wrote a memoir about their relationship about a year and a half ago titled “Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of the Family Band”
“My little sister was always on the piano doing great music,” Willie Nelson stated in an interview back in November 2020. “I would sit there on the piano stool beside her and try to figure out what the hell she was doing. … Sister Bobbie is 10 times a better musician than I am,” he said. When she demurred, he added, “I’m a little better con man, I think.”
The country superstar talked about his sister fondly and always referred to her as his “little sister” even though she was older than him.
Bobbie Lee Nelson was born on 1st January 1931 right in the middle of the depression era. Will followed her on April 30th, 1933 exactly after two years and five months.
Both were fond of each other and started their career together at the Abbott Methodist church where Bobbie used to play piano and Willie was seen playing guitar. The family released a statement announcing her death on Thursday saying “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.”
