Hole Notes: The Pick-Style Nylon-String Work of Iconic Axman Willie Nelson

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With a career spanning more than half a century, country music superstar Willie Nelson has had his share of highs and lows—from penning timeless classics like “Crazy” (as popularized by Patsy Cline) and relishing his reputation as a pothead (the Legalize It advocate is also the founder of the Teapot Party) to nearly losing his assets to the IRS in the early Nineties.

Since 1969, his trusty guitar—a weather-beaten, battle-scarred Martin N-20 nylon-string classical, nicknamed Trigger—has remained by his side, becoming part of Nelson’s sonic signature, as characteristic as the man’s distinctively nasal singing voice.

Nelson was influenced by western-swing artists like Hank Williams and Bob Wills as well as swing-jazz geniuses Louis Armstrong and, his favorite guitarist, Django Reinhardt (he plays Django’s “Nuages” at almost every concert).