Paul English, Longtime Drummer For Willie Nelson, Dies Annie Reuter 2 days ago
Paul English, the longtime drummer for Willie Nelson, died at the age of 87 on Tuesday (Feb. 11). Nelson’s publicist confirmed the news of English’s passing to Billboard.
© Paul English
A beloved member of Nelson’s road family since the ’60s, English first played a show with the country legend in 1955 before becoming his full-time drummer in 1966. He played with Nelson up until his death last night. Later in life, English and his younger brother, Billy, shared percussion duties.
According to Austin 360, the drummer died following a recent battle with pneumonia. He was surrounded by friends at family at a hospital near his home in Dallas according to Nelson’s daughter, Amy.
English, a Vernon, Texas native, served as part of the inspiration behind Nelson’s 1971 road song “Me & Paul” featured on Yesterday’s Wine. The nearly four-minute track includes Nelson lamenting of their troubled travels in Nashville, being “almost busted in Laredo, but for reasons that I’d rather not disclose,” and a Milwaukee airport not allowing them on the plane. “They said we looked suspicious/ But I believe they like to pick on me and Paul,” Nelson sings on the song.
In addition to his role as a drummer, English sometimes served as Nelson’s bodyguard. The late drummer was known for his checkered past and has credited Nelson for saving his life. “If I hadn’t gone with Willie, I would be in the penitentiary or dead,” English told Rolling Stone in 2014. “I was running girls and playing music at the same time.”
No funeral arrangements have been announced.
Poster Comment:
Running a line of hookers was he? And playing music at the same time? That is more than I could do. I just worked concert security for extra money.
We worked Dokken at the Vic Theater in Chicago. I was doing the after show party. There were two guys there who were Dokken freaks. I was looking after one of them. I turn around and other one had Dokken pinned against the wall. He was looking at me like, "Help!". So I got them both out of there, "Alright, you got to meet the band. Time to go home."
Then there was this chick leaning up against the pillar. Dokken picked up her top and signed across her chest right above her hooters.
We were walking down the stairs together and Dokken stops and turns to me and said, "You know what her boyfriend said to me? He said, 'Go ahead man, she's good.'" Dokken said, "I don't think so. What would you do?"
I said, "You know what I would do? I would go and get my Don Dokken mask."
We got them all on the bus and the driver closed the door. Dokken came back up front and had the driver open the door. He came off the bus and shook my hand and thanked me personally. That was real class. The last thing he said to me was, "Get some sleep." Sleep was kind of scarce in those days. LOL