The iconic statue of Willie Nelson in downtown Austin, Texas, has been cleaned and restored after it was vandalized with pink spray paint last week. The statue, which stands outside the ACL Live venue on Willie Nelson Boulevard, was defaced by an unknown culprit on Friday, February 23.
The statue, which was unveiled in 2012, is a tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter and his influence on the music and culture of Austin. Nelson, 90, is considered one of the founding fathers of the outlaw country movement, and one of the most beloved and respected artists in the world. The statue depicts Nelson playing his guitar, Trigger, and smiling.
The vandalism was reported by local media outlets, who posted photos and videos of the pink paint covering the base of the statue. However, no investigation was initiated by the Austin Police Department, and no suspects or motives were identified. Some speculated that the vandalism was a prank, a protest, or a hate crime, but no evidence or claims of responsibility were found.
The cleanup and restoration of the statue was done by the Downtown Austin Alliance, a nonprofit organization that works to improve and promote the downtown area. The alliance’s ambassadors spent their morning removing the paint and polishing the statue. The alliance said that it was happy to bring Willie back to his former glory, and that it hoped that the vandalism would not happen again.
The statue of Willie Nelson is one of the landmarks and attractions of Austin, which is known as the Live Music Capital of the World. The city hosts several music festivals and events, such as South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, and Luck Reunion, which feature local and international artists from various genres.
Nelson, who lives in the outskirts of Austin, often performs and participates in these events, and is regarded as a hometown hero and a national treasure.
