Willie Nelson Tributes Late Sister In First Performance After Her Passing

Willie Nelson honors his late sister Bobbie's memory with a sweet tribute!

Following the death of the iconic pianist and singer, her younger brother returned to the stage at this year's Luck Reunion to celebrate his sister's glorious life.

As shared by Rolling Stone, this concert marked the first time in nearly 50 years that the 88-year-old entertainer would perform without his older sister.

For this year's Luck Reunion, fans and artists gathered at Willie's Luck Ranch, located outside Austin, where they engaged in one of the most spectacular country festivals.

In addition to great music, the show featured heartwarming tributes to Bobbie, who made waves in country music as a member of her brother's band, The Family.

Like their band's name, the dynamic duo's musical roots began from home at a young age. The pair discovered their love for music while being raised by their grandparents during the Great Depression.

In "The Tao of Willie," the 13-time Grammy winner's autobiography, he explained that his childhood was filled with hardships like working on the cotton fields with his grandparents "at three or four years old."

However, these difficulties created a strong bond between the Nelson siblings, a connection the father-of-seven described as being as close to his sister as when she held him on her knee.

As aforementioned, the pair were drawn to music, another thing responsible for their iconic partnership that dominated the country genre.

After practicing music at their local church, the Texas natives improved their gifts with their grandmother's support. Eventually, Willie became the first to leave the nest in pursuit of stardom while his older sister chose a simpler life.

The younger sibling accomplished numerous feats, such as becoming one of the dominant figures in outlaw country, a country music subgenre created in the 1960s.

On the other hand, Bobbie settled down and had three sons. However, she couldn't escape the performer in her blood.

The pianist's then-husband inspired the mother-of-three to pursue a musical career by playing in honky-tonks, but his touching actions ultimately caused problems for the artist.

At the time, the country star lost custody of her children following her divorce because society didn't favor women working in shady areas like bars.

If Bobbie wished to be a mother, she could not continue to perform with her brother. In the end, the late entertainer reunited with Willie in the ’70s, once her children became adults.

Given the siblings' history, one could only imagine the emotional turmoil the "Roll Me Up" singer endured after his sister's death. Nonetheless, the iconic performer didn't show his vulnerabilities on stage.

Although the 88-year-old entertainer didn't express his grief, he honored the late pianist's memory with a backdrop that read, "In Loving Memory of Bobbie Nelson."

This message was displayed during the "On the Road Again" artist's performance, where he played surrounded by his sons and one of his late sister's signature cowboy hats.

The accessory hung on a microphone stand, located at the area the late entertainer would have been seated with her piano.

During her brother's show, the crowd could feel the presence of The Texans band's former member as Willie performed some of the siblings' beloved gospel hits like “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “I’ll Fly Away.”

As previously reported by The Blast, the Country music star announced his older sister's death on Instagram with an emotional post.

On Thursday, March 10, the "Silver Stallion" singer shared a black-and-white picture of himself posing with the late mother-of-three as they shared a warm embrace. 

In the image, the siblings shared a radiant smile, but this beautiful moment was captioned with a heartbreaking message. 

The "On the Clean Road Again" author revealed that his beloved sibling took her final breath earlier that morning; however, the cause of death wasn't stated.

The AMA winner stated that the entire family was devastated by their loss; however, the Nelsons' were also grateful the pianist filled their lives with her "elegance, grace, beauty, and talent."

Bobbie died at 91 years old after spending over three decades of her life recording and performing music across the world with her brother.