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Willie Nelson’s former Tennessee home hits the market

<p dir="ltr">The former home of country music legend Willie Nelson has been listed for sale, and the folklore surrounding it is just as interesting as the home itself.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to property records, the 150-acre property and its pastures, woods, trails, and cabin have been owned by just two people, including the <em>Georgia On My Mind</em> singer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“From what we can find from tax records, there have only been two owners. One is the current seller and different members of that family. And the other is Willie Nelson,” Ross Welch, one of the two Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty agents representing the property, said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was one of the properties that the IRS seized when Willie was not paying taxes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Before the IRS seized the home in the early 1990s, Nelson lived there from the early 1960s.</p> <p dir="ltr">After settling his tax debt in 1993, the property was returned to the family that had owned it, who then sold it on to the current owners.</p> <p dir="ltr">“From what we have been told and what we’ve seen on tax records, it was seized by the IRS and then the IRS went back to the family that had previously owned it and asked if they wanted to buy it back for pennies on the dollar,” Matt Lawson, the second agent representing the home, explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prior to its complicated ownership, Nelson built the property’s rustic log cabin, which features lime and mortar from the property in the shower and fireplace.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 1970, another home on the property caught fire while the singer wasn’t inside, sparking the story in which he rushed home to rescue his beloved guitar Trigger and a pound of marijuana, per <em><a href="https://tasteofcountry.com/willie-nelson-nashville-house-cabin-estate-for-sale-pictures/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taste of Country</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The events described in Nelson’s hit <em>Shotgun Willie</em> also reportedly took place while he lived at the home and earned him the nickname, though Lawson hasn’t found concrete evidence to confirm the stories.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the biggest stories that I wish I had concrete proof of is that this is the place where he got the nickname ‘Shotgun Willie,’” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s a ton of just wild stories about him out there.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The sprawling property has been listed for $2.5 million ($AUD 3.9 or $NZD 4.3 million).</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c1a37b8e-7fff-97f7-ca7c-427777b5e5e8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @willienelsonofficial (Instagram) / Realtor.com</em></p>

Real Estate

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Dolly Parton turns down offer of statue

<p>Dolly Parton took to social media on Thursday (3 am Friday AEDT) to declare that she does not want the Tennessee legislature to approve putting up a statue of her at the state capitol.</p> <p>"I want to thank the Tennessee legislature for their consideration of a bill to erect a statue of me on the Capitol grounds," she wrote.</p> <p>"I am honoured and humbled by their intention," she continued — but not that humbled, necessarily, by the governing body's attempt to come up with some feel-good legislation amid all of its famously divisive and controversial bills.</p> <p>The country-pop superstar said that she has "asked the leaders of the state legislature to remove the bill from any and all consideration. With all that is going on in the world, I don't think that putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time."</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLcIEhsjBDP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLcIEhsjBDP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Dolly Parton (@dollyparton)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Enshrining Parton at the Capitol had been in the talks for years and the suggestion especially picked up steam when there was increasing pressure to remove statues of famous Confederates from the Capitol, with some saying the biggest star from Tennessee would be a good replacement instead.</p> <p>In January, Rep. John Windle (D-Livingston) introduced a bill that would create a "Dolly Parton fund" and entrust the State Capitol Commission with developing a plan for placing a Parton statue. The bill was scheduled to go up for consideration Tuesday before the House state government committee.</p> <p>Parton has however left the door open for a statue of herself at some point in the future - when she doesn't have to show up for it.</p> <p>"I hope, though, that somewhere down the road several years from now or perhaps after I'm gone if you still feel I deserve it, then I'm certain I will stand proud in our great State Capitol as a grateful Tennessean. In the meantime, I'll continue to try to do good work to make this great state proud."</p>

Beauty & Style

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So grown up! Reese Witherspoon celebrates son’s birthday with heartfelt post

<p>Reese Witherspoon is one who likes to keep a lot of her family life private. </p> <p>However, for her eldest son, Deacon’s sweet 16th she posted a beautiful message along with a snap of the two to celebrate. </p> <p>"Happy 16th Birthday to this guy whose bright smile makes every day better!" she wrote.</p> <p>"Kind, compassionate, hysterical, friendly, and talented," Witherspoon continued. "I'm so lucky to have a son like you!"</p> <p>Witherspoon, 43, shares her son Deacon with ex-husband Ryan Philippe, who posted his own message to Deacon on his Instagram story the night before his son’s milestone age. </p> <p>“The edge of sixteen,” it read. </p> <p>The pair also have another child together, 20-year-old Ava who is their eldest. </p> <p>Witherspoon and her now-husband Josh Toth share a son, Tennesse, who recently just celebrated his seventh birthday. </p> <p>Reese has proven to have some seriously strong genes because her three children look so similar to her it is unnerving. </p> <p>Ava also took to Instagram to share a heartwarming post for her younger brother. </p> <p>“Happy happy sweet 16 to my cooler-than-me little brother with a heart of gold! I couldn’t have gotten any luckier than to have your humor, love, and patience in my life,” she said. </p> <p>“You are always one of the funniest, most thoughtful, peaceful people in the room, and I couldn’t be prouder as your big sister of who you are and who you’re becoming. Happy birthday, D!”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Reese’s three kids, Ava, Deacon and Tennesse all grown up! </p>

Family & Pets

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What’s happening to Johnny Cash’s beloved Tennessee farm?

<p>Johnny Cash fans have been thrilled with the announcement the singer’s beloved Tennessee farm is to be transformed into the ultimate tribute to the Man in Black.  </p> <p>The 107-acre property in Bon Aqua Tennessee was acquired by Cash in the early 1970s and will be opened to the public as the Storytellers Museum and Cash Hideaway Farm.</p> <p>Nashville already has a museum dedicated to the iconic country and western performer, and this new museum is set to join the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman Auditorium as an essential place to visit if you’re a music lover exploring that part of the world.</p> <p>The property has an interesting history, originally acquired by Cash’s accountant who had been embezzling money to use in real estate deals. Cash eventually found out and sold off most of the properties, but was so smitten by the farm he decide to keep it.</p> <p>The museum is also reportedly going to host live music events daily to ensure the Man in Black’s incredible legacy as a musician continues to live on for years to come.</p> <p>Are you a Johnny Cash fan? What do you make of this news? And what’s your favourite Johnny Cash song? Share your thoughts in the comments!</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / boxingboy</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/entertainment/music/2016/07/6-classic-country-songs-to-revisit/"><strong>6 classic country songs to revisit</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2015/11/johnny-cash-tracking-website/"><strong>Website tracks everywhere Johnny Cash has been</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2015/09/johnny-cash-death-anniversary/"><strong>Evocative video of Johnny Cash and June Carter just before his death</strong></a></em></span></p>

International Travel