Who is Annie D’Angelo?

Annie D’Angelo was born on 27 August 1956, in the United States of America, and is a businesswoman as well as a former makeup artist, but perhaps best known to the public as the wife of musician Willie Nelson. Her husband is known for numerous successful country music albums, establishing himself as the father of the so-called outlaw country genre. Some of his biggest albums include “Stardust” and “Red Headed Stranger”.

The Riches of Annie D’Angelo

As of mid-2020, Annie D’Angelo’s net worth is estimated to be over $2 million, earned through various successful business endeavors, mostly handled in conjunction with her husband.

She probably benefits from the success of her husband in the music industry as well, as he has a net worth reputedly over $25 million.

Life and Career

Annie grew up close to her mother, and at a young age became interested in pursuing a career in make-up. She developed her skill over the years, and eventually found her way into Hollywood, working on several projects during the 1980s. One of her first projects was 1989’s “Gleaming the Cube” which starred Christian Slater, telling the story of a skateboarder trying to push himself to the edge. Numerous professional skateboarders participated in the creation of the film.

Other projects she was involved with include “Bachelor Party”, “The Rosary Murders” and “Hot Pursuit”, then the television movie “Stagecoach”, as a part of the make-up crew. There she met and later started a romance with Willie Nelson – the film was a Western starring Nelson alongside Johnny Cash, and is an adaptation of the 1939 film of the same name which starred John Wayne. In the film, Nelson plays the historical figure Doc Holliday who was known for working as a dentist while also being a gunfighter.

Husband – Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson grew up in Abbott, Texas where his father worked as a mechanic; he never got to know his mother as she left after he was born.

His father later remarried and left him and his older sister under the care of their grandparents. Growing-up, he developed a love for music which was influenced by his grandparents. He learned to play the guitar, and began singing at a local church alongside his sister.

He attended Abbott High School where he played with the school’s American Football, baseball and basketball teams. He lived life mostly as a farmer, raising livestock while continuing his education, and furthering a passion for music. He later joined a band called The Texans which was formed by his sister’s husband, and played on a local radio station.

After matriculating from high school, he briefly worked as a ‘phone operator, along with other odd jobs while performing in a band. He then joined the US Air Force, staying there for a few months before returning home.

Music Beginnings – Willie Nelson

He enrolled at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he studied for a degree in agriculture. However, dissatisfied, he dropped out and decided to fully pursue a career in music. He auditioned successfully for a job as a DJ despite not having any prior experience, and used the station’s equipment to his advantage to record songs that he sent to local music labels.

He was mostly rejected at the time, but found work performing in nightclubs on the side. Looking for more opportunities, he traveled to San Diego but was unable to find a job, then hitchhiked to Portland, Oregon where his mother supposedly lived, but wasn’t successful, leading him to travel to Eugene.

Following numerous failed efforts, he began his career on the Vancouver, Washington State-based television station KVAN, where he had the opportunity to first perform, while also appearing on a television show, and performed at nightclubs. Unhappy with the lack of progress, he moved back to Texas and settled in Waco, where he briefly quit making music.

Eventually, he met and befriended singer Larry Butler who offered him a job as a singer, leading to the real start of his music career.

The Success of Willie Nelson

Willie slowly gained recognition, leading him to sign a contract with D Records, and moving to Houston, Texas. He continued working as a singer and DJ, while writing songs that would become staples of country music. Some of his popular songs at the time include “Pretty Paper”, “Crazy”, and “Hello Walls”. In 1960 he moved to Nashville and signed a contract with Pamper Music, leading to his first album two years later called “…And Then I Wrote”. Two years later, he signed with RCA Victor and had several charting hits.

His career changed significantly in 1973 when he signed with Atlantic Records, developing his outlaw country style which would bring him much success. After the release of “Shotgun Willie”, he released commercially successful hit albums with “Red Headed Stranger” and “Stardust” – his music showcased a new style to the more conservative sound Nashville was known to produce. He continued to create his songs and albums through the 1980s, and to tour while also finding other projects. He appeared in numerous film roles, and authored books, plus  he became heavily involved with the campaign for the legalization of marijuana.

Personal Life

Annie wasn’t Willie’s first wife as he has been through three failed marriages before they met.

After meeting on the set of “Stagecoach”, they began a relationship, leading to their eventual marriage in 1991. They have two children together though he has five other children from his previous relationships.

She is known to have supported him during his problem with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – in 1990, the IRS seized most of his assets because of alleged unpaid taxes amounting to over $32 million. This was due to bad accounting and investments that were advised to him by a former employee. The debt increased significantly over the last few years of the 1980s with an increase in his profits, though it was eventually appealed, lowering to around $16 million, $6 million of which he paid. He then released an album to help pay his debt, and was debt free after three years.