As someone who has paid money to hear Willie on a number of occasions, and an owner of many collections, recollections and etc., this make me sad. I once paid money to hear Willie, Waylon, Chris and Cash when they went on tour just to raise money to keep Willie out of IRS jail and Willie was so high that Waylon Jennings had to signal the beat by waving the time right in front of Willie's face. What's next, burning trigger...
Man, I would have loved to see Waylon and Johnny Cash... I saw Willie Nelson last summer, and it was awesome, although I was shocked that he didn't do an encore. He was done, waved, walked off the stage, lights came up, time to go home. It was miserably cold that day though, so I can understand (I waited in line at the one concession stand for over an hour for a terrible cup of coffee, just to warm up).
It was the second best concert I ever attended. Johnny wasn't in good voice, not having begun his Rick Rubin years yet, but it was awesome just to see him. They went through and played on or two Highwaymen songs followed by a few of their own things with the others backing, and the occasional duet between waylon and willie. Spectacular. I was in the third row at a tiny theater at the Atlantic City Trump Plaza and I don't think the room could have been any more than 1500 or 2000. I caught Waylon Jennings eye at one point and made him laugh at my antics to try to get him to play some B sides that I guess nobody in the North had requested in a long while.... Yes, I managed to convince Waylon Jennings that I was a nut.
I saw Willie, Merle Haggard and Ray Price about 3 years ago (talk about premorse- I totally thought Ray Price was dead until I saw he was billed on that show), and it was hilarious how everyone in the audience took Willie's arrival onstage as the signal to smoke up. Willie seemed pretty sober and put on a great show, as did Merle Haggard and the Strangers (funny anecdote: near the end of his set, he said, "I'd like to introduce the Strangers" and then went from guy to guy onstage, introducing them to each other off mike, while the audience just sat there).
Doesn't compare to Waylon and Johnny, but as old school country legends go, it was a pretty good evening.
Willie, I don't think that's going to keep the IRS from recognizing you...
ReplyDeleteThat's not funny man, Willie's blind.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has paid money to hear Willie on a number of occasions, and an owner of many collections, recollections and etc., this make me sad. I once paid money to hear Willie, Waylon, Chris and Cash when they went on tour just to raise money to keep Willie out of IRS jail and Willie was so high that Waylon Jennings had to signal the beat by waving the time right in front of Willie's face. What's next, burning trigger...
Man, I would have loved to see Waylon and Johnny Cash... I saw Willie Nelson last summer, and it was awesome, although I was shocked that he didn't do an encore. He was done, waved, walked off the stage, lights came up, time to go home. It was miserably cold that day though, so I can understand (I waited in line at the one concession stand for over an hour for a terrible cup of coffee, just to warm up).
ReplyDeleteIt was the second best concert I ever attended. Johnny wasn't in good voice, not having begun his Rick Rubin years yet, but it was awesome just to see him. They went through and played on or two Highwaymen songs followed by a few of their own things with the others backing, and the occasional duet between waylon and willie. Spectacular. I was in the third row at a tiny theater at the Atlantic City Trump Plaza and I don't think the room could have been any more than 1500 or 2000. I caught Waylon Jennings eye at one point and made him laugh at my antics to try to get him to play some B sides that I guess nobody in the North had requested in a long while.... Yes, I managed to convince Waylon Jennings that I was a nut.
ReplyDeleteI saw Willie, Merle Haggard and Ray Price about 3 years ago (talk about premorse- I totally thought Ray Price was dead until I saw he was billed on that show), and it was hilarious how everyone in the audience took Willie's arrival onstage as the signal to smoke up. Willie seemed pretty sober and put on a great show, as did Merle Haggard and the Strangers (funny anecdote: near the end of his set, he said, "I'd like to introduce the Strangers" and then went from guy to guy onstage, introducing them to each other off mike, while the audience just sat there).
ReplyDeleteDoesn't compare to Waylon and Johnny, but as old school country legends go, it was a pretty good evening.
I was almost as excited to see Kris K. as the others, having written Me and Bobby McGee and Lord Help Me Jesus almost makes up for his voice...
ReplyDelete