Music Deaths: Paul English, Willie's Longtime Drummer and Enforcer

PAUL ENGLISH, 87

Died February 12, 2020

Long term drummer for Willie Nelson.  Started playing with Willie in 1955, but became regular drummer in 1966.  In one of his earlier duties, he served as Willie's strong-arm to get club owners to pay up.

He cut an imposing figure, one you wouldn't want to mess with.  Both on and off stage, he adopted the persona of "The Devil."  Always dressed in black and had menacing facial hair.  I saw a picture of him and he looked also a bit like Waylon Jennings.

"I thought Nashville was tee roughest,
But I know I said the same about them all.
We received our education
In the cities of the nation, me and Paul."

Said Nelson about Paul"  "Wild, street-smart Paul who always had my back and got me out of more scraps than I care to recall."