Willie Nelson continues to live the life he loves at 92 years old. “I’m not finished with” | National news
The celebration of Willie Nelson’s 90th anniversary at Hollywood Bowl could have been confused with a retirement party.
But two years later at 92, he worked as much as ever. Not that retirement would be very different. The life he loves makes music with his friends, even after having survived so many relatives.
Nelson will be on the road again with Bob Dylan when the Outlaw music festival will resume for the second stage of its 10th year from June 20 in Clarkston, Michigan
When he was asked if he would never like his life to obtain the treatment of the feature film that Dylan did last year with “a full unknown”, Nelson said: “I heard about this. But I haven’t finished with it yet. ”
Nelson spoke to the Associated Press during an Oahu telephone interview in Hawaii.
“Bob is a good friend,” said Nelson. “And I will be happy to leave him head.”
The tour is part of a busy year. This will lead to the 40th anniversary of Farm Aid in September. This spring, Nelson released his 77th studio album. And he added a new Thc tonic, Willie’s remedy, to his large world of weedy products.
An All-Crowell album
Nelson has always liked to sing the songs of his friends as much as if it is not more than those he writes himself. In 1979, he released “Willie Nelson Sings Kristofferson”, a full album of his friend Kris Kristofferson, who died last year.
He has a similar love for the songs of his friend Rodney Crowell. Nelson has long interpreted “Til I Garn Control Again” by Crowell, which he called “one of the best country songs that I have never heard”. Now he has released a whole album by Crowell Tunes, “Oh What A Beautiful World”.
“So far, he hasn’t written one that I don’t like,” said Nelson.
The album comes on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of “Red Headudred Stranger”, the album that many consider the masterpiece of Nelson. A breakthrough for him at the age of 42, he needed the companion respected at the beloved superstar.
Nelson said he had already started working on the number 78 album, but refuses to share his management.
The old and new family group, still without a list of sets
While Nelson returns to the road, the only surviving member of the classic range of his family group is Mickey Raphael, 73, whose harmonica has duo for decades with the Willie Warble.
Bassist Bee Spears died in 2011. The guitarist and rescue singer Jody Payne died in 2013. Drummer Paul English died in 2020. And Nelson’s sister, Bobbie Nelson, his only brother and his piano, died in 2022.
But the group he takes on the road now is just as family in his own way. He often understands his sons Lukas and Micah. The English brother Billy plays the battery. Payne’s son and singer Sammi Smith, Waylon Payne, plays the guitar.
They collectively follow Nelson’s desires and whims on stage. One thing that the live show never understands is a list of sets. He refuses to use them. Group members – and sound guys, and lighting guys – must stay on guard and be ready for everything.
“I prefer to play on the top of my head, because I can read the crowd quite well,” said Nelson. “They jump in there.”
The set without list recently included classics like “Whiskey River” (still the opener, no assumption there) and “Bloody Mary Morning” as well as new adopted as “Last Leaf” by Tom Waits, a song that perfectly expresses Nelson’s survivor status.
“I am the last leaf of the tree”, sings Nelson in the song that directs his 2024 album of the same name. “Fall has taken the rest, but it won’t take me.”
“My son Micah found it for me,” said Nelson. “I really like the song, and the public likes it, it’s one of the real good.”
He also interpreted songs written by Micah, which records and interpreted as a particle.
A favorite, “everything is B- – – – -t”, seems to contrast with the standards of the Gospel as “I’m going to fly” and “the circle will be uninterrupted” that he often plays a few minutes later. Willie does not agree.
“It’s all the gospel,” he said, laughing.
Agricultural aid is 40 years old
September will add the 40th anniversary of Farm Aid, the annual festival to support family farmers, which Nelson founded with Neil Young and John Mellencamp, he plays there every year. It was inspired by unique charitable concerts like “Live Aid”, but has become an annual institution, turning each year in another city adjacent to the farm. It’s in Minneapolis this year.
Asked his favorite, he said, “They were all good, for various reasons. The first was great, the last one was great. ”
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