Willie Nelson: "Haircut Heard Around The World" (Picture)

Willie Nelson in Maui, Hawaii. (AP)

NEW YORK (CBS) Country music icon Willie Nelson has a new do! After sporting his trademark long tresses for more than a quarter of a century, the 77-year-old "On The Road Again" singer is embracing a remarkably shorter new look.

The "waist-deep, reddish pigtails" that the Associated Press described as one of the singer-songwriter's "signature features" have, indeed, been snipped.

Pictures: Stars' Dramatic Makeovers

Wllie Nelson described his new do on his website as the "haircut heard around the world."

But, why now?

Spokeswoman Elaine Schock also tells the AP that Nelson got his hair cut in the past couple of weeks. She said he didn't make a big fuss about the makeover, but she thought he might have grown tired of dealing with long locks.

"There's a lot of maintenance," she said.

Willie Nelson's birthday was April 30. Maybe he wanted a personal, transformative birthday present?

After all, more than a quarter of a century is way too long to even think of having another bad hair day.

[bankroller]

He looks like my ex mother in-law.

[hoosierman]

He kind of looks like the dutch boy on cans of paint.

[JohnAces]

"The fact is Willie has two sons with their own bands. "Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real have toured externsively with Dad and have built a strong national following. The band backing Mr. Nelson at Charlie's on Maui was L.A. based America folk rock band The Reflectacles with Micah Nelson on drums."

[chacha45]

OMG!!!!! It looks horrible!!! AND RED!!!!

[chacha45]

OMG!!!!! It looks horrible!!! AND RED!!!!

[LovinItAll]

This article is about Nelson's haircut. so I guess negative comments are appropriate, but he could have gotten a mohawk and it wouldn't change this: Nelson's ability to play and sing in his very unusual style - and be successful doing so - may never be matched by an artist in any genre. Musicians and singers who cover a bunch Nelson material understand that his ability to play and sing a little behind or slightly ahead of the beat is a diffficult task to pull off and still have the tune resonate. I'll listen sometimes and think, "There is no way he'll catch up gracefully.", but he always, always does.

I'm not even a huge country fan, but I am a fan of Willie's, and at 77 he still sounds decent, puts on a good show, and it's clear he really loves delivering the goods to his paying customers (most of the time). I think of other 77 year-old people I've known and try to imagine them hopping on stage and playing for a couple of hours...it's an almost comical image, yet Nelson looks like he could do it for another decade.

Page Boy haircut or not, I've got mad respect for the dude. He's outlived virtually every one of his contemporaries, and I hope he keeps banging on Trigger until he's a 100 - if Trigger can make it that long....he's said he's done when Trigger's done, and Trigger is barely holding it together these days.

Best To All ~ LIA

[erasmus111]

"Page Boy haircut or not..."


Is that what that is called? It actually looks like he took a hold of each braid and just hacked it off. : )

[vckysu55]

Well said. Who cares about his hair cut.... it's still Willie! With his very unique voice and overflowing with talent. Hats off to you Willie.

[RoboBlogger]

All he needs now is to tighten the hell out of his face like ole kenny rogers and it'll make it even.

[rykatspop]

The red-headed stranger gets stranger all the time. But hey, it's really about the music, not the hair. Just don't mess with Trigger (his guitar), Willie!

[phydeux2]

I wonder if he offered the hair to "Locks of Love"? And I wonder if they'd accept it. LOL

[twinspineve]

i like his music but try not to look at him. cutting his plaits helps him.