Who’ll Buy My Memories? The IRS Tapes

In 1990, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) handed Nelson a bill for $16.7 million in back taxes and seized most of his assets to help pay the charges. He released "Who'll Buy My Memories?: The IRS Tapes" as a double album, with all profits going straight to the IRS. The two disc set is a compilation of demos, outtakes, and stripped-down recordings featuring only Nelson and his guitar. Many of his assets were auctioned and purchased by friends, who gave his possessions back to him or rented them at a nominal fee. He sued accounting firm Price Waterhouse, contending that they put him into tax shelters that were later disallowed. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount. His debts were paid by 1993.