There are a lot of reasons why Willie Nelson is a respected name in country music. They range from his 1962 debut to his part in founding the outlaw movement with his partners Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. There are stories that tell of his softer side with his sister Bobbie and the Family Band. His legacy runs deeper than some might expect. There are songs that Willie has absolutely made his own and some iconic tunes he penned for influential artists. Yet, for every song he has written, it is unquestionably a Nelson song. You can bet this legend has made his mark on a wide spread of songs. Out of all of his great compositions,  Willie Nelson cites “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” as one of his all-time favorites.

Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, the Beginning

Nearing the peak of his fame in the mid-1980s, Willie plays a role in a romantic drama called Honeysuckle Rose. He played the lead character, Buck Bonham, an aspiring singer struggling to make it in music and keep his family together. He also wrote some songs featured in the film, including “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.” The heartbreaking love song remains a staple in country music today, from Austin to Nashville and all around the world. Later covered by both Bob Dylan and Alison Krauss, it’s a touching reflection on profound love and even deeper loss. It is surely one of Nelson’s most vulnerable, persuasive vocal performances of all time.

This was Nelson’s seventh chart-topping solo hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.

The Song’s Various Origins

The origins of this song are a little cloudy. Some assume the title ‘’Angel” mentions Hells Angels biker, Charlie “Magoo” Tinsley, a friend of Nelson’s who died. This has never been confirmed or denied by Nelson who usually says he’s not going to argue with a load of bikers. Nelson wrote the song while he and his wife, Connie Koepke, are dealing with marital problems in 1976. Once, he hinted that it’s about her former wife, Connie. During live performances, Nelson dedicates this song to his son Billy, his third child from his first marriage to Martha Matthews, who committed suicide in 1991.

Whatever the song origin is, “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”, is a song about the healing power of love, and the bittersweet memory that remains when the healing is done. That, there is always time to move on and let go.