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On his 77th birthday, with an acclaimed new album of classic country songs, and three Irish shows on the way, Willie Nelson is not letting the time slip away, writes JOE BREEN

‘YES, I’M EASY to get on with – as long as I get my way.” You could never accuse Willie Nelson of overselling himself. He doesn’t have to: legends are way past the need-to-sell date. It is 2pm US eastern time when we finally hook up. He is sitting in Morgantown, West Virginia, resting before a show in the university town. It is his 77th birthday, a fact that when reminded of it, he quietly acknowledges with a soft “thank you very much. I appreciate that.”