| Willie Nelson is probably the biggest name to come to | | | | statement: Willie plays the guitar at the highest level |
| our town yet. The Willie Nelson and Family Band came | | | | possible. He plays a beautiful combination of country |
| to town last Friday, the 11th of January 2008. We live in | | | | notes , blues notes and his own musical style that is |
| Fort Pierce Florida, a humble town of 40,000 people. In | | | | literally music to your ears. Don't underestimate his |
| the process of renovating our 100 year old down town | | | | guitar virtuosity. He plays some powerful soul touching |
| section, the Sunrise Theatre built in 1923 became the | | | | notes. |
| centerpiece of the renovation. We are members of | | | | It is hard to believe Willie Nelson is 74 years old. It is |
| the Sunrise Theatre and we support it by going to | | | | good to see that although he is clearly and old man, he |
| shows there as often as we can. It has great | | | | seems unencumbered by any age related suffering. |
| acoustics and is very cozy, seating less than 2000 | | | | He stands tall and erect. There is no stoop to him, and |
| people. | | | | his eyes sparkled and he was smiling and having great |
| We arrived about 45 minutes early to the largest | | | | fun throughout the concert. (miracle of binoculars). He |
| crowd ever at The Sunrise Theatre. It was a whose | | | | even has a set of arms on him! It is a boost to this |
| who of ranchers, citrus growers, lawmen, including a | | | | older guitar player to see his hands flying like they did |
| former sheriff and many distinguished long time | | | | on that guitar neck. |
| residents and business people. | | | | When the music started I felt like I was in the presence |
| To be honest the first Willie Nelson song I ever heard | | | | of a higher power. The respect and the love from the |
| was Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be | | | | audience reminded me of a bunch of teenagers going |
| Cowboys. That could have been thirty five years ago. | | | | crazy over the Beetles or Steve Vai. Except we |
| I didn't even know who he was back then. One thing I | | | | were mostly older people, clapping, waving hands, |
| did know was I loved that song and became a Willie | | | | screaming and going nuts like a bunch of kids again. |
| Nelson fan instantly. I can't say with any degree of | | | | The band played for almost two hours straight. It |
| truth that I was his biggest fan. I have several of his | | | | seemed like every song was my favorite Willie Nelson |
| albums, and maybe I had seen him in concert twenty | | | | song. We heard Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow |
| odd years ago here in town with Waylon Jennings and | | | | Up To Be Cowboys, On The Road Again, Blue Eyes |
| Hank Williams Jr. As ever, for me Jimi Hendrix was | | | | Crying In The Rain, and Angel Flying Too Close To |
| God. No one came close. Until lately my range of | | | | The Ground to name just a few. His is one tight well |
| music appreciation had been narrow. | | | | oiled band. Every song was performed beautifully and |
| Once seated we were given flyers announcing that | | | | came through his sound system perfectly. His |
| tonight was the beginning of a Willie Nelson Tour and | | | | distinctive and beautiful voice shows no signs of |
| that this concert was being recorded for an album. | | | | deterioration. Throughout the show he kept changing |
| The most important message on the flyer was that | | | | hats and bandanas which he regularly removed from |
| we could buy a copy of the concert after the show. It | | | | his head and threw out to the crowd. He introduced |
| was sold in a device that was formed like a bracelet | | | | each band member and let them have a few minutes |
| and had a USB plug for a computer. That bit of | | | | in the spot light. |
| technology is one of the best ideas anybody ever had. | | | | To be realistic, there is no way I can do justice to a |
| We were in the balcony, and remembering a set of | | | | Willie Nelson concert in print. You have to be there to |
| binoculars was great . I love to watch the guitar | | | | experience what I'm talking about. Don't miss him if he |
| players hands up close. Willie may be known for his | | | | even comes close to your town. To tell the truth, I think |
| great voice, and many very popular songs, but I don't | | | | he had as much fun as we did. The whole band |
| think he is given enough credit for being able to play | | | | seemed to really enjoy entertaining us as much as we |
| the hell out of his guitar. It is a highly worn Martin | | | | enjoyed them. |
| N-20WLN he calls Trigger. It is available through | | | | Once the concert ended, Willie spent about 10 to 15 |
| C.F.Martin Guitars as a special order custom shop | | | | minutes on stage signing guitars, programs, albums, |
| model. | | | | shirts, pictures and a bunch of personal memorabilia for |
| Willie's sister Bobbie (Nelson) has been playing the | | | | people. A nice vibe to end a great concert experience. |
| piano with the band along with most of the original | | | | I hope he returns. I'll go every time. |
| members for 30 some years. Bobbie's piano is just a | | | | As we exited into the lobby, there was a fully stocked |
| piano, which is very refreshing in a world of | | | | Willie Nelson store setup with all things and albums |
| synthesizer keyboards. She is a very excellent player, | | | | Willie. We bought an older CD and a copy of the |
| and did some jumping ragtime solos. The concert | | | | concert. The USB device that the concert was |
| started with Whiskey River and it was immediately | | | | recorded on allowed us to put them in our computers, |
| clear that his is a tight band. In addition to sister | | | | Itunes or any music program for listening pleasure or |
| Bobbie's piano, there was a bass guitar player and a | | | | disc burning, they mentioned it was fine if we burned it |
| second guitar player trading rhythms and leads with | | | | to CD. What a cool way to end a concert to get your |
| Willie. The band didn't have a big time drummer setup, | | | | own live recording ahead of the market. More artists |
| just a snare drum player and some bongos. | | | | should consider this hi tech idea. He might be a country |
| Most of the concerts I attend are generally to hear | | | | boy, but that does not mean he is nott with it. |
| and evaluate the guitar player. Johnny Winter (we saw | | | | My friends and I were speechless for a while after the |
| him last month), Robert Cray, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani, | | | | concert. There was not much to say after a |
| Edgar Winter, David Allen Coe, Bob Dylan, Peter | | | | performance from a real life legend. What was not left |
| Framton, B.B. King, Robin Trower (next week), Jimi | | | | on the stage was in each of our souls. |
| Hendrix RIP (#1 my hero), SRV RIP (#2) to name a | | | | Support your favorite artists, see them in concert and |
| few, and many more I can't recall right now. Let it go | | | | buy their albums. Don't let our legends and influences |
| on record that Willie plays mostly all Lead Guitar | | | | die. |
| throughout the whole concert. Add this to my | | | | Enjoy. |