Grizzled American singer/songwriter, a giant in country music of the 1970s and early 80s who also took up acting at the peak of his success. Beginning as a songwriter in the 60s 9with his tunes sung by diverse artists including Elvis Presley and Patsy Cline), Nelson ultimately bucked the constraints Nashville system, embraced the anti-establishment spirit of his times, grew a beard, braided his long hair into pigtails and began performing his own music around 1970. By 1975 he had broken through with the seminal album "Red Headed Stranger," (one of country music's first "concept: albums telling