Willie Nelson, the legendary musician and activist, is setting his sights on data centers.
The Abbott, Texas, native took to social media on Tuesday, July 28, criticizing the rapidly increasing facilities powering artificial intelligence, especially in his hometown. He called them "loud, water thieving" and "light polluting" in an open letter posted on X.
"I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night," Nelson, 93, wrote. "And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centers invading our land."
He continued, "The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints. It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection
to the land."
The outlaw country star and icon has been known for his vocal support of biofuels, the working class and American farmers through his annual Farm Aid concert. Abbott, Texas, does not appear to be the site of any upcoming data centers, though the state overall is seeing a surge.
"All of America deserves thoughtful stewardship that doesn't steal farmland (where our essential shared-food is grown) and small family farmers' livelihoods, and not data centers that only destroy the environment around them," Nelson added in the post, which received over 60,000 likes by Wednesday afternoon. "Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses."
He continued, "Let's not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the U.S. and especially in Abbott."
What are AI data centers?
Data centers house computer networks and servers, which enable digital information and services. They have become increasingly vital for tech companies as technology expands, particularly in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
They have been the subject of widespread community protests, bans and moratoriums and public debate, decrying the amount of noise data centers produce as well as the amount of space and resources they take up, including electricity and water. Critics say data centers spike costs for people who live near them.
A May Gallup survey reported 70% of Americans oppose the construction of data centers in their communities, with 48% in "strong opposition."
In July, President Donald Trump announced that 23 governors, all Republican, have signed his non-bindingRatepayer Protection Pledge that seeks to protect households from absorbing utility costs tied to data centers. Major utility companies and data center developers have also signed the pledge, as electricity costs are up by about 4% from 2025 and energy costs have increased by 16%.
Contributing: Greta Cross and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Willie Nelson blasts 'water thieving' data centers in scathing letter
