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Willie Nelson will celebrate his 93rd birthday on Wednesday.
And once again, he’ll be touring the United States and performing dozens of sell-out shows this summer.
As much as they love to hear him belt out his classic hits, some fans might think that Willie should slow down for the sake of his health — but those who know the country legend best say touring might be what keeps him alive.
According to a new report from Radar Online, Nelson believes his live shows are his literal lifeline.
“[Willie] thinks he’ll die if he’s not performing and entertaining a crowd,” a source tells the outlet.
Insiders say that while his “mind is still sharp as a whistle,” his body has been showing signs of age.
“He’s frail, can’t stand straight and must perform sitting down,” says one insider. “He even breathes with difficulty.”
Despite the signs of wear and tear, however, those closest to Nelson are confident that he’s “not retiring.”
And despite erroneous reports of Willie’s death, the music icon has no plans to step away from the stage.
“He needs his fans as much as they need him,” added the source. “His wife, Annie, and eight kids mean the world to him — but Willie’s first love was always his music. It keeps him going.”
In 2015, Nelson underwent stem cell treatment to repair damage to his lungs from his days of smoking cigarettes.
“I’ve smoked a lot of cigarettes, and I’ve had emphysema and pneumonia four or five times, so my lungs were really screwed up,” he told The Washington Post at the time (via Radar Online). “I had heard that this stem cell operation would be good for them. So, I said, ‘Well, I’m gonna try it out.’
“I have abused my lungs quite a bit in the past, so breathing is a little more difficult these days,” Nelson explained.
“I have to be careful.”
Thankfully, Willie kicked his tobacco habit decades ago. As for the smokable he’s most associated with? Well, that’s a different story.
According to his publicist, Elaine Schock, Nelson “does not smoke any more or any less [weed]” than he did prior to quitting cigarettes.”
It’s good to know that some things never change!