SAN ANTONIO โ Midway through a sold out two night stand at the Majestic Theater here, country music icon Willie Nelson said that in spite of recent breathing related health issues, he has no plans to give up touring.
โI love the bus,โ he told KSAT TVโs Paul Venema during a recent interview. โThis is my home.โ
Performing, he says, is his key to happiness and good health.
โItโs an energy exchange,โ he said, describing his relationship with the audience. โThey give me a lot of positive energy and I hope to give them a lot of positive energy.
He added โFor an hour they get away from everything they donโt like.โ
Years of smoking marijuana, the country music legend admits, has taken a toll on his health.
Nelson, 86, said โI have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days and I have to be careful.โ
โI started smoking cedar bark, went from that to cigarettes to whatever,โ he said. โAnd that almost killed me.โ
It didnโt, so he made a decision.
โI donโt smoke anymore - take better care of myself,โ Nelson said.
His health issues have generated rumors suggesting that he is near death.
โI donโt give a (expletive deleted) Iโm here, Iโm glad to be here,โ and with a smile added โIโm lucky to be here.โ