The 1970s was the birth of the outlaw movement in country music. Outlaw country was the response to the clean and polished recordings coming out of Nashville. I was fortunate enough to see one of the founding fathers of the genre and a living legend in his own right. That man was Willie Nelson. For those who follow this blog regularly, you have seen reviews of past acts that I would have never dreamed of seeing in my lifetime. Willie Nelson is right up there. Seeing him in the flesh made it more rewarding since Willie Nelson was headlining. The Outlaw music festival took place last Sunday at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. Anticipation was rising in the air as I have been patiently waiting for the Red-Headed Stranger himself to walk out on stage. I finally saw him in the flesh. The crowd erupted in a standing ovation and Willie himself was humble. He then opened with the staple "Whisky River" and at that moment, the roach I finished earlier kicked in. I now knew what bliss was like.
It's to be said that Nelson just turned 90 this year. That said, he sounded exactly the same. The real profound moment though was watching him play. Nelson's N-20 classical Martin guitar aka 'Trigger" is as much the legend as he. The guitar has seen it all and been through it all and yet it still sounds crisp. Seeing Nelson's fingers move up and down the fretboard was an awe-inspiring moment. His playing and sound are immediately identifiable yet impossible to recreate. For the setlist, Nelson pleased his entire fanbase. There was a delightful mix of hits (Always on My Mind, On The Road Again, Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys, Good Hearted Woman) along with deep cuts like the symbolic "Still Not Dead" and "Bloody Mary Morning."
Nelson paid homage to country pioneer Hank Williams with a Texan honky-tonk cover of "Move it On Over." To cap off the night, he bought the entire festival lineup onstage for "Will The Circle Be Unbroken which has become Country's music code of conduct made famous by The Carter Family. Singing a part of history with a man who is breaking and making it. That's a sight. I overheard someone say "This reminds me of being in the back of my old man's truck while fishing." That's what it's all about. From generation to generation, Willie Nelson will live on for eternity.
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