How Willie Nelson Is Linked To These 2 American Beers

Country music and beer have long gone hand-in-hand. Brews pop up not only during shows, but in song lyrics and musician lore, too. It's a deep-rooted association that even applies to country legend Willie Nelson. Although he hasn't drunk in decades, Nelson has ties to both Lone Star and Coors, brands that have appeared during impressionable moments in his storied career.

The former brew — which hails from the musician's home state of Texas – plays a louder tune. In 1972, Nelson moved from Nashville to Austin, helping lay the groundwork for the emerging Outlaw Country movement. While playing famed venues like the Armadillo, Lone Star served as a regional tipple of choice. The beer brand was consumed abundantly by audiences, as well as Willie Nelson and his fellow musicians.

One day, Nelson approached Lone Star sales manager Jerry Retzloff and proposed that if the brand flowed freely at his tour bus, he and his impressive musical entourage would conspicuously drink Lone Star on stage. Product placement meets charismatic charmer: It's a professional collaboration that endured for years — Retzloff even accompanied Nelson to the White House.

The Coors story runs a similar path, albeit a song of a quieter tune. A series of iconic photos reveal Nelson also cracked open this old school lager on stage back when he drank. Although he never formed an official collaboration with the brand, Coors brews made a frequent appearance at his concerts among the audience, as the beer was trendy in 1970s Texas. It's a fascinating history that intertwines day-to-day life with legend, much like the best Country songs.

Willie Nelson stopped drinking alcohol in 1978, making beer a not-so-prominent part of the musician's storied career. Even still, there are more brew-related easter eggs to explore, as popular beers come up as a frequent motif in Country music culture. Back in 1973 — just a year after his Texas return – Nelson released the album "Shotgun Willie," which featured a cover titled "Bubbles In My Beer." An upbeat in sound, yet wistful in lyric classic, it's a tune Nelson chose deliberately to appeal to a beer-drinking crowd — who likely still crack open cans of Lone Star and Coors alongside.

Decades later, in 2003, Nelson also co-wrote and recorded "Beer for My Horses," which appeared on Toby Keith's album "Unleashed." The song — which analyzes America's criminal justice system – concludes with an uplifting and memorable chorus: "Singing whiskey for my men, beer for my horses." A 21st-century hit, the tune even inspired a full-length movie released in 2008 of the same name. Country music incorporates a diverse array of cultural influences; Johnny Cash even made a Taco Bell jingle once. So for a discography as extensive as Willie Nelson's, it's no surprise that brews appear in various contexts, too.