ACL Review: Willie Nelson
Abbott’s 83-years-young son sanctifies all
By Tim Stegall, 11:37AM, Mon. Oct. 10, 2016
Someone let Texas’ most famous musical byproduct down. Audience conversations should never be louder than “On the Road Again.” Yet, following a “Thank you, Willie” video from a cross section of ACL 2016 acts, an audience-pumping intro by Matthew McConaughey, and the state flag unfurling as a backdrop on “Whiskey River,” the damned P.A. needed upping.
Not that this derailed the Red Headed Stranger’s grace and professionalism. Over 40 years of nonstop touring has made Willie Nelson & Family an indestructible machine, crap public address systems be damned. Willie’s gonna do what Willie does – deliver the hits.
Georgia and you will forever be on his mind, and mamas will always be advised against letting their babies grow up to be cowboys. Paul English will drive the machine from his drum kit at the rear, Mickey Raphael’s idiosyncratic harp will honk away at the top, sister Bobbie Nelson’s saloon piano will twinkle in the mid-range, and Kevin Smith will pump away at the bottom end. Willie Nelson (clean shaven!) will jazz phrase all over the place as only he can, be it vocally or lead guitar-wise.
They did so before a Lone Star-sized mass of humanity at the Samsung stage beginning Sunday afternoon promptly at 6pm. Young, old, black, white, Asian, cowboy hats, leather jackets, you name it – Willie’s appeal and the respect he engenders demolishes demographic considerations. Everybody loves Willie.
As always, Abbott’s 83-years-young son reminded us of the country standards he wrote. Of how funny it is that time slips away, that he’s crazy for trying/crying/loving you, and that even though the night life ain’t no good life, it’s his life. That angel flew too close to the ground once more, but the still is still moving to him.
He nodded to Tom T. Hall with a blues-tinged “Shoeshine Man” and to his chief guitar influence on Django Reinhardt’s “Nuages.” Then, as the sun began setting, he decided we all needed some churchin’ up: “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” (stickiest gospel song ever recorded), “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” “I’ll Fly Away,” and Hank Williams’ immortal “I Saw the Light.”
Only Willie Nelson could turn ACL into a rollicking church service.
And at the last, he did so with what looked like every act playing ACL that day, a scrum of modern stars forming a choir behind the band: Margo Price, Mumford & Sons, Marlon Williams, Nathaniel Rateliff, Paul Janeway, McConaughey. Blue eyes cried, perhaps, but not in any rain. Willie Nelson sanctified us all.
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Willie Nelson, ACL Fest 2016, Bobbie Nelson, Paul English, Mickey Raphael, Kevin Smith, Django Reinhardt, Hank Williams, Tom T. Hall, Margo Price, Mumford & Sons, Marlon Williams, Nathaniel Ratelif, Paul Janeway