Willie Nelson data centers warning targets rural land and water
Willie Nelson criticized data centers near rural towns, citing Abbott, Texas, farmland, water, light pollution and local opposition.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Willie Nelson data centers worries went public this week after the country legend posted a social media statement objecting to the spread of the facilities across the United States, with special concern for rural communities like Abbott, Texas.
Nelson wrote that he comes from Abbott and still has a home there with farmed land where the night sky remains visible. In the same statement, he said his community, along with others, should resist what he called data centers moving onto the land.
The musician described the facilities as noisy, heavy on water use and a source of light pollution. He argued that rural America draws its strength from families, open space, local businesses and ties to the land, rather than large industrial sites.
Why is Willie Nelson worried about data centers?
Nelson’s objections, according to his statement, are about land, water and the character of small towns. He said farmland supports shared food supplies and family farmers’ livelihoods, and he warned against projects he believes would harm the surrounding environment.
He also framed the issue as a fight over basic resources, writing that whoever controls food and water controls people. Nelson urged people not to give up control of necessary resources in the United States, especially in Abbott.
Rolling Stone reported that it was not clear whether Nelson was referring to one particular proposed data center near Abbott. The town is south of Dallas, and the magazine noted that several data center projects have been announced for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
A data center is the kind of industrial hub at the center of the current artificial intelligence buildout debate. In the poll cited by Rolling Stone, Gallup asked Americans about building AI data centers in their local area.
Gallup found in May that seven in 10 Americans opposed having AI data centers built near them. The poll said 48 percent were strongly opposed, while seven percent were strongly in favor.
Nelson’s statement fits a long-running public focus on farms and rural life. Rolling Stone noted that he showed the video for his 1986 song “Living in the Promiseland” during last year’s tour in support of immigrants.
He also marked the 40th anniversary of Farm Aid last September. In a statement at the time, Nelson said family farmers are central to the country and that Farm Aid has supported farmers staying on their land despite corporate power, policy failures and broken promises.
Nelson remains busy outside the data center fight. Rolling Stone reported that his next book, The Last Leaf, is scheduled for release Nov. 10 through Penguin Press, following his 2023 book Energy Follows Thought: The Stories Behind My Songs.
The magazine also reported that Nelson released Dream Chaser in late May, shortly after turning 93. His summer touring schedule is set to wrap Sept. 26 at Farm Aid in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.