Willie Nelson & Family
January 6, 2015
The Grove of Anaheim
Writing and photography by TourBusLive.com
If you haven’t yet had the chance to see the legendary performer in person, it’s time to get out there and see him. And while Willie Nelson is out on a three-month US tour to kick off 2015, now would be as good a time as any! Traveling along with family (this time, he’s teamed up with sister Bobbie Lee on piano), Nelson is out on the road promoting his two most recent albums – Band of Brothers (released in June of 2014) and December Day (released in December of 2014).
But what’s really wonderful about seeing Willie Nelson is, well, SEEING WILLIE NELSON! An amazing songwriter and musician, and the man with that unique twang in his vibrato, Willie is truly the epitome of a music legend who somehow found his perfect niche, nestled somewhere between country music and good ol’ rock and roll. His recognizable long hair, his notable political activism, and his truly iconic guitar companion (his hole-riddled infamous Martin N-20 nicknamed Trigger) aren’t the only things that make him interesting, either. No – this guy is the real deal – a true national treasure. And the second he steps on stage, you just know why.
And, after more than 60 years in the business, the 81-year-old Willie is still selling out shows and making the girls cry.
Recently highlighted in Foo Fighers frontman Dave Grohl’s HBO documentary series Sonic Highways, Willie’s story is as unique as his music – leaving Nashville after years of skirting success, but finding his true place – not just among the fans of country and western, but actually creating musical harmony among the cowboys and the hippies in the early 70s just when he decided to leave Nashville and move back to his home state of Texas.
Yes, Willie Nelson makes music for all the kids, no matter what their age. And if you can’t help but find yourself tapping your foot to his iconic “On the Road Again” or getting a little weepy during the powerful ballad “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”, or if you can’t help but sport a huge grin during “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”, then you are definitely not alone.
