Willie Nelson concert

[shadowtippy]

I've never been much of a fan of Willie's singing, but I was given a couple of tickets to see him perform a short while back, so my wife and I went to the concert. I was impressed. Not so much by his singing, but by his skill as a guitarist. I guess I was expecting him to strum some C, G, and D chords and have someone else do most of the guitar work. That old guy (he must be about 112) can play. That worn out, or well broken in, Martin guitar sounds great. The concert was about an hour and a half and he went through it without a break. I came away with more respect for him as a performer than I might previously had.

[hennessybass]

He is (i think) 78 years old, and is still on the road something like 300 days a year.

[DeaconK]

He says that he will quit when "Trigger" (that old Martin) falls apart.

[fourstringdrums]

Originally Posted by DeaconK

He says that he will quit when "Trigger" (that old Martin) falls apart.

He has been offered new guitars in the past and he turned them down. I heard he found it in a dumpster?

[lowfreq33]

Originally Posted by fourstringdrums

He has been offered new guitars in the past and he turned them down. I heard he found it in a dumpster?

Not true. It replaced another old Martin he had, was brand new when he got it. It's just been played THAT much!

[fourstringdrums]

Originally Posted by lowfreq33

Not true. It replaced another old Martin he had, was brand new when he got it. It's just been played THAT much!

Ah yes I just googled the history. I thought my dad told me that he found it, but I've always known that he's so attached to it that he won't play anything else.

[shadowtippy]

As energetic as he was playing, I can understand why he has worn a hole in that guitar. It is almost as large as the sound hole. The guitar's condition and the way it sounds are good tretaments as to the quality of Martins. From the way it looks, I wouldn't give more than $20 for one like it in a garagre sale. But I doubt if it could be bought at any price.

[svtb15]

I do a pick up gig with his drummer Billy when each of us are in town. His bass player recently passed away.. I think early December.. Billy is now playing bass.. as of a bout a week ago.. Have not checked in to to see how he is doing with it.. They are all real nice folks.

Originally Posted by shadowtippy

I've never been much of a fan of Willie's singing, but I was given a couple of tickets to see him perform a short while back, so my wife and I went to the concert. I was impressed. Not so much by his singing, but by his skill as a guitarist. I guess I was expecting him to strum some C, G, and D chords and have someone else do most of the guitar work. That old guy (he must be about 112) can play. That worn out, or well broken in, Martin guitar sounds great. The concert was about an hour and a half and he went through it without a break. I came away with more respect for him as a performer than I might previously had.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

What has got 200 legs and 10 teeth??













The front row of Willie Nelson concert...


All kidding (?) aside, to me these old performers kind of define what the music entertainment industry was/is/would be at its best: the playing and the concerts that almost anyone can go and see, and not break the bank doing so.

The merch business is said to be at least double the business of actual performing.
How sad is that?

I'd tip my proverbial hat to any of these guys and gals who decade after decade perform 200+ gigs a year. I sure as hell couldn't do that.

Regards
Sam

[TN WOODMAN]

If memory serves Willie said he bought Trigger for $500 in a pawn shop, don't recall the year. I believe the guitar is a 1970 though. The hole is from playing with a pick and steel strings on a classical guitar designed for nylon strings. Willie is a great player with a distinctive voice on guitar as well.

[JacoLesFlea]

I like Willie as an actor as well as a musician. He was in a western with Gary Busey a long time ago which I watched last week that I really enjoyed also liked him in Dukes of Hazzard remake but was watching that for Jessica Simpsons legs. Was the smell of canabis in the air?