Willie Nelson used his 80th birthday celebration to raise over $120,000 for two towns devastated by the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas.
The singer's representatives presented two checks to separate parties on Monday. The West Volunteer Fire Department received a check for $81,000 while Nelson's hometown of Abbott, Texas received about $40,000.
"West is like our backyard," Nelson told CMT. "It's where I grew up. I rode my bike from Abbott to West and back all the time on that road where all this stuff happened."
Fourteen people were killed and more than 200 were injured when the plant exploded on April 17. The cause of the blast has not been revealed, but Texas law enforcement officials are conducting a full criminal investigation.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Entertainment News
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.