Legendary singer Willie Nelson, who celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this year, is revealing why he believes he’ll be reincarnated after he passes away.
“ I think we probably come back as ourselves, pretty much,” Nelson told CBS News. “I don’t believe life ends, ever.”
When asked if fans will always have him and his songs, Nelson smiled as he replied, “I’ll be back in a minute.”
Despite his beliefs about reincarnation, Nelson is very much focused on this life, and he’s still active. Nelson holds a fifth-degree black belt, and he practices martial arts daily, saying that he “started out in kung fu, went over to jiu-jitsu, judo, and taekwondo.”
Nelson explained that it was his childhood in Texas that inspired him to take up this practice.
“We had a saying in Abbot, Texas, where I come from. You only do three things down here: fight, f— and throw rocks. So, that’s what I grew up [with],” he said. “So, we fought everything and everybody, each other, we fought bumblebees on the weekend.”
Nelson went on to say that martial arts gives him “confidence.”
When Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday back in April, he admitted that he “never thought” that he’d make it to such an advanced age.
“I never thought I’d get here,” Nelson told People Magazine at the time, though he was quick to shrug off any fuss over this birthday by adding, “This ain’t nothing. It’s another day.”
After 60 years of performing, Nelson still loves performing onstage for his fans.
“I get a lot of fun out of playing for an audience,” he said. “There’s a great energy exchange there. It’s what keeps me going.”
While Nelson admits that his hearing is “not the best,” he still feels young at heart.
“As they say, laughter’s the best medicine,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed a good joke.”
Nelson also has no intention of giving up on songwriting and performing anytime soon.
“I haven’t quit … I’m 90,” he said in his latest interview. “Maybe I should, but … after every tour. I said, this is it. And then get the urge again to go back”
Nelson made similar comments to AARP earlier this year, saying, “Jokingly, I retire after every tour.”
Earlier this year, Nelson scored a major honor when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Nelson is a true living legend.
