- 'Willie Nelson & Family' is a new biopic docuseries
- It tells the story of legendary singer Willie Nelson
- THIS is how his wife found out about an affair he had
The country singer, 90, reflects on the ups and downs of his life in his new Paramount+ docuseries 'Willie Nelson & Family.' In the four-part special, the songwriter lays out all the details of his relationships, including the shocking moment his second wife Shirley Collie found out he had been having a yearslong affair.
Willie opens up
The birth of one of Willie Nelson’s eight children came as a total surprise to his wife at the time. The country icon shared that his ex-wife Shirley Collie learned that he had been involved in a decades-long affair when she discovered a hospital bill revealing his mistress, Connie Koepke, had given birth to their daughter.
In the mail that was a bill that disclosed the birth of a baby girl named Paula.
"Shirley wanted to know who in the hell was Connie Nelson," Willie—who wed Shirley in 1963 after his breakup from first wife Martha Matthews—said in the docuseries. "The truth is, Connie had been my girlfriend for several years before becoming pregnant."
After finding out about the affair, Shirley's marriage to Willie unraveled, with the couple finalizing their divorce in 1971. Willie went on to tie the knot with Connie that same year and remained married until their split in 1988.
Paula, now 54, revealed, "It was hard" for Willie’s other kids, but they've since formed "one big tribe," thanks to their dad's efforts.
The series doesn't just dish the dirt; it also celebrates Willie's rollercoaster life, from platinum hits and family ties to affairs, divorce, and personal struggles. It even recounts the steamy studio session with Shirley that led to their duet "Willingly" and eventually, their marriage in 1963.
Three years after his divorce from Connie, Willie married his current wife, makeup artist Annie D'Angelo. In his series, the dad of eight shared that he "never had met a woman like her before."
"She was whip-smart with a keen appreciation for all forms of art," he noted. "She was pretty and radiated enough energy to light up any room she entered. I fell head over heels in love with Anne Marie D'Angelo."
A look back for Willie
In the documentary series, Nelson says he has some regrets about how he handled his past relationships. "I’ve always said there’s no such thing as a former wife," Nelson explains.
"Once in your life, a wife never leaves. I regret the pain I caused Connie, and Martha and Shirley before her. I have no excuses. I’d be hard-pressed to define love. I know God’s love is pure, but worldly love is flawed love, and lots of times confused love. When it came to romance, I had a gift for complicating things."
Connie, in the documentary, said that at the time, "the farthest thing from my mind was getting pregnant and telling my mom and dad."
"Anyway, it happened," she continued. "Honestly, I was the next one, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. It's just Shirley wasn’t their mother, she was gone. I bonded with those kids so much. I loved those kids. They all became my kids, too."
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Remorse in full
As for how he feels looking back at the tangled web of his personal life now?
Willie's current wife, Annie D'Angelo, with whom he has two sons, Lukas (34) and Micah (33), might just be the one to finally tame the country wild heart. But let's not forget the late twist – an eighth child, Renee, discovered only in 2012!
So, grab your popcorn and settle in for the full scoop on this country saga, now streaming on Paramount+.
