Willie Nelson lands prestigious award that the LBJ Foundation has given to presidents, too

The legacies of two Central Texas icons have crossed paths. The LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas has named an endowment for Willie Nelson, and the iconic country singer is slated to receive another major honor, as well.

The new Willie Nelson endowment will champion causes close to his heart.

The school, named for former President Lyndon B. Johnson, on Wednesday announced the Willie Nelson Endowment for Uplifting Rural Communities. It "will fund research and student fellowships focused on sustainable agriculture, eliminating hunger, resilient energy, sustainable water and natural disaster recovery to benefit rural and farm communities," according to a news release.

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Willie's getting an award that's been given to presidents.

Nelson also will receive the LBJ Liberty & Justice for All Award from the LBJ Foundation, a nonprofit group established by Johnson and former first lady Lady Bird Johnson in 1969 that supports the LBJ School and the LBJ Presidential Library at UT.

Nelson will receive the award at a gala on May 12 at the presidential library.

"This is a new endowment that will be funded through net proceeds from the LBJ Liberty & Justice for All Award gala dinner," Dan Perry, chief development officer of the LBJ Foundation, told the Statesman when asked about the initial funding for the endowment.

The foundation describes the award as its most prestigious honor. Past recipients include President George H. W. Bush, President Jimmy Carter, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sen. John McCain, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. John Lewis and others.

Not a bad way for Nelson, a Grammy-winning entertainer behind songs like "On the Road Again," to follow up his 90th birthday in April.

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The announcement on Wednesday highlighted Johnson and Nelson’s common cause: supporting rural and farming communities.

Nelson and his whole family have been vocal about supporting American farmers and ranchers. He was born in 1933 in Abbott, a small, tight-knit farming community 30 miles north of Waco. Nelson co-founded Farm Aid in 1985 with fellow artists Neil Young and John Mellencamp. That music festival and advocacy group has raised more than $70 million toward its goal of promoting "a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture," according to the Farm Aid website. In 2020, the American-Statesman reported about TerraPurezza, a regenerative agriculture farm and institute, moving to the family's Luck, TX ranch in Spicewood at the behest of Nelson's wife, Annie.

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“A product of rural Texas, Willie has never forgotten where he comes from,” Larry Temple, chairman of the LBJ Foundation Board of Trustees, said in a statement. “His longtime efforts to raise money and awareness for family farmers through Farm Aid and numerous other endeavors to help those in need throughout his career make him a true inspiration.”

Johnson, meanwhile, dedicated much of his political career to fighting poverty and improving rural life in America. He was born in 1908 in the poor, isolated Hill Country town of Stonewall. Johnson's father, Samuel Ealy Johnson Jr., was a farmer, ranch investor and state representative. As a member of Congress, LBJ was instrumental in rural electrification.

The LBJ Foundation on Wednesday cited a quote from the president’s 1965 Special Message to Congress on Agriculture: “The bounty of the earth is the foundation of our economy. Programs in every aspect of our nation’s life depend on the abundant harvests of our farms.”

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The president's LBJ Ranch in Stonewall, which served as his refuge from Washington, is now a tourist attraction in the Hill Country. Lady Bird Johnson, of course, championed environmental efforts in Austin and across the country.

“Faculty, students and alumni from the LBJ School make significant contributions to uplifting rural America, from supporting farmers’ sustainable food production to preparing communities for natural disasters to ensuring rural communities have the water and energy they need,” said JR DeShazo, dean of the LBJ School, said in a statement. "We're honored to continue this work following Willie Nelson's legacy and grateful for the LBJ Foundation's continued support of our mission.”

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How can people donate to the endowment?

Tables and tickets to the gala, ranging from $1,000 for a single ticket to $100,000 for two tables of 10, are on sale now. The LBJ Foundation also is accepting donations. For more information or to donate to the endowment, lbj.utexas.edu/willie-nelson-endowment-uplifting-rural-communities.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: LBJ School at UT Austin names endowment for Willie Nelson