Island Records Country veteran Willie
Nelson graced the stage at the Sun Theatre in Anaheim
Tuesday night.
By David Holmberg
Daily Bruin Contributor
Country music is cool. This may be a shocking statement for many
of today’s youth, who commonly describe their musical tastes
as “everything except country,” but those who make
this gross generalization clearly were not attending the Sun
Theatre on Tuesday night, where country music and American legend
Willie Nelson performed.
While many people today may know him from his classic song
“On the Road Again,” or his brief appearance in the
recent films “Wag the Dog” and “Austin
Powers,” Willie Nelson has transcended the years.
With a voice so purely his own, Nelson plays a country music
most would not recognize. It is not the twangy, line-dancing,
“Lost my dog and my girl” ballads that infiltrate new
country music. Instead it is an acoustic revival of Americana
roots music, with newfound liberalism, a little blues and a bucket
of soul.
Even his image defies the idea of a typical country star. No
tight black jeans or shiny cowboy boots. In fact, this country star
even prefers wearing a red bandanna around his head and long
braided hair instead of the standard cowboy hat. Yes, it is a
startling idea, but not all stereotypes are correct.
Opening Tuesday’s concert was The Fryed Brothers from
Sacramento. Although the group had a strong country sound, the
lyrics lacked sophistication, as the band sang about brother
“Jimbo’s Bike” and having good times in a pickup
truck. Thankfully, they only played long enough to whet the
appetite for the quality music yet to come.
When Nelson finally took the stage, he played to a full and
enthusiastic crowd. “I love you Willie!” was the call
of the night, along with cat calls and other words of praise. The
people had come to see one of music’s most talented artists,
and they were not disappointed. With a huge Texas flag hung behind
him and his band at hand, Nelson, who will be 68 years old in
April, wore out the crowd with over two hours of non-stop
music.
Starting off fast and furious, Willie and the band began with a
rocking rendition of “Whiskey River,” then jammed
through one classic after another. The songs flowed together
without even a pause, creating a rich and deep storybook of
American feeling. Every song was situated perfectly to create a
narrative full of highs and lows.
There is an honesty to Nelson’s musical style that makes
even his covered songs like “Me and Bobby McGee” and
“Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be
Cowboys” become personalized heartfelt messages.
In this first set, many of the songs that made him famous were
raced through, such as “Always on My Mind” and
“On the Road Again,” leaving little time for
reflection. This did some disservice to them, as it seemed the
songs were being sped through in order to finish the show.
However, this was far from the truth. As his first set ended,
the red bandanna was tied around his head and an American flag
replaced the Texas emblem. It was this transition that signaled
that it was time for Willie and company to start showing what
country music has always been about: soul.
In what appeared to be an almost Bob Dylan-esque departure,
Nelson picked up an electric guitar, the first to be seen on stage
all night, and headed into new territory: the blues. His latest
album, “Milk Cow Blues,” is a collection with
performances from major blues players including Dr. John and the
legendary B.B. King.
One limitation of country music is that the sometimes
over-simplified guitar riffs do not allow artists to showcase their
full potential. With the blues, on the other hand, Nelson was able
to show that playing chart-topping music for well over 40 years has
made him into a guitar virtuoso.
Although his guitar playing has improved over the years,
Nelson’s voice has remained untouched. It was virtually
impossible to notice even a hint of change from that voice which
has been recording since the 1950s.
In the past, Nelson has played with other country legends such
as Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash, and also often
performed solo. For this concert he was joined by a top-rate group
of musicians. Two guitarists, Jackie King and Jody Payne, at first
seemed excessive, but by the end of the show they had proved their
worth. Bobbie Nelson’s piano work kept the songs rooted in
traditional country, while Mickey Raphael’s harmonica infused
rock ‘n’ roll modernity.
From the blues he moved into classic Hank Williams country and
everything sounded right. From fast songs to slow songs and good
songs to bad songs, it seemed like anything Nelson played was done
with such expertise that it was a pleasure for both the crowd and
himself.
Several times near the end of the concert he started to leave
the stage, but it was as if he could not stand the idea of stopping
for the night, so he just kept right on going. Clearly, he was as
much on the stage to play for himself as he was to play for the
audience.
At the end of the night, with his weathered guitar and weathered
persona, it was clear why Willie Nelson is, and always will be, one
of the most legendary country rock stars of the past, present and
future generations.