5 ways Willie Nelson earned his 2023 Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame nomination

On Wednesday, the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame released this year's nominees and the list included Austin music icon Willie Nelson. While, yes, Nelson's music is more country than rock, over the years the Hall of Fame has evolved to become a museum of popular American music, recognizing rappers, folk singers, soul legends and rockers alike.

As he approaches his 90th birthday, Nelson has clearly secured his place among the pantheon of celebrated music makers who should be remembered forever.

Here are five ways he earned his spot on the nominee list:

1. Willie Nelson's catalog is massive and profound

According to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall, Nelson has released a "staggering 73 solo studio albums" over a career that spans more than six decades. But that's only a fraction of his catalog. Over the years, Nelson has frequently released collaborations and live albums. In 2020, Texas Monthly took on the Herculean task of ranking the 147 albums he had released at that time.

2. He's continued to record new music long after most artists retire

While many artists spend their later years playing old hits, Nelson's output has remained prolific. "Nelson released 'Heroes' in May 2012, two weeks after he turned 80, and 16 more studio albums have followed over nine years. Far from slowing down as he's gotten older, Willie has kept up this pace for years: He released 14 studio albums in both his 60s and his 70s, after issuing 17 in his 50s. Only in his 40s, years that included his biggest-selling albums, did he release more, with a total of 21 studio albums," former Statesman writer Peter Blackstock wrote last year.

3. And the new music he is releasing is still good

Nelson is up for four Grammys at the 2023 award ceremony this weekend. He received a nod for best country solo performance for "Live Forever," the title track of the 2022 Billy Joe Shaver tribute record. Nelson is also nominated for best country album for "A Beautiful Time," released last year on April 29, his 89th birthday. The opening track and first single on the album, "I'll Love You Till the Day I Die," written by Rodney Crowell and Chris Stapleton, is up for best country song.

"Willie Nelson Family," the self-titled release that features Nelson alongside his sister Bobbie, sons Lukas and Micah and daughters Paula and Amy, is up for best roots gospel album.

Nelson has 10 Grammy wins under his belt and 53 total career nominations.

Grammy night update: He won two of the three country categories: country album and best country solo performance!

Tennessee State University made history with a win in the best roots gospel album category.

"'Til You Can't" by Matt Rogers and Ben Stennis (performed by Cody Johnson) won best country song.

More:Hear Willie Nelson's cover of 'Live Forever' by Billy Joe Shaver

4. He's a stylistic nomad, who has dabbled in all sorts of genres

While his fame came through the world of country, Nelson's musical curiosity has led him to explore all sorts of sounds throughout his career. In recent years, he's recorded tributes to Frank Sinatra and the Gershwins. He's recorded multiple gospel albums, collections of songbook standards and a reggae album. Along the way, he's logged notable collaborations with everyone from Bob Dylan to Wynton Marsalis to Snoop Dogg.

More:Willie Nelson once tried to smoke weed on the roof of the Texas governor's mansion

5. He walked his own path and became a cannabis advocate before it was cool

Fed up with the buttoned up good ol' boy network on Music Row, Nelson famously left Nashville and returned to Austin at the end of the '60s. Part of the issue, Kinky Friedman said in his intro to Nelson's 2012 book "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die," was Nelson's love of the devil's lettuce. "Country music, whatever its blessings and faults, would never gather reefer madness unto its collective, commercial, corporate bosom," he wrote.

If you look back at photos of Nelson between 1969 and 1971, there’s a dramatic evolution in his look. At the end of the ‘60s, Nelson was a clean cut crooner, sporting classic Nashville country duds. By 1971, his journey into becoming an outlaw country legend had begun. He went on to record the most popular music of his career.

A cannabis advocate long before it was cool, he made music his own way, on his own terms and while smoking as much weed as he wanted.

How to vote for Willie Nelson (or other Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame nominees)

In addition to Willie Nelson, this year's class of nominees includes Missy Elliott, A Tribe Called Quest, Iron Maiden, George Michael, Rage Against the Machine and Cyndi Lauper. Fans can visit vote.rockhall.com daily to log votes for up to five of their favorite nominees. This year's inductees will be announced on the Hall of Fame website in May. A date for the induction ceremony has not yet been announced.