I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many stars in one place. Not only on a stage, but even at an awards show.
Let me put it this way… The unannounced opener was Billy Strings, and he can sell out the Hollywood Bowl all by himself!
Not that I’m the biggest Willie Nelson fan. When Willie was struggling, country music, then called “country and western,” was pooh-poohed by those in the northeast. You know those people who tell you they grew up listening to Hank Williams? Well, I grew up listening to show tunes.
But then Willie became gigantic. An inspiration to those who think they’re too old, that they missed their chance. Furthermore, Willie was not only on the airwaves, but on the screen too. While rock stars were begging to be in movies, Willie jumped to the head of the line.
And there was Willie news everywhere. How his personal golf course got taken by the IRS and how he’d gotten it back… This guy had his own golf course? I mean how much money had he made? It was in Texas, was it flat, was it just a facsimile or the real thing? And when he came off the road he famously slept in his bus as opposed to his house, he felt more comfortable there. And how he got high on a regular basis. Back when dope was still illegal. Stop trying to legitimize it by calling it “cannabis,” the old monikers were much more descriptive, much more true to life, after all, you know how you get when you’re stoned.
And I saw Willie live once. Pretty up close and personal at the Universal Amphitheatre, this century, when it already had a roof, before it was torn down completely. And the thing about Willie is… Actually, two things. He plays this guitar with holes in it. The kind a kid would refuse as a present. And his show is not a performance, it’s not about dynamics, it’s a run-through. As if he was on train passing by, you caught him for an hour and then he went to the next burg, never missing a beat. You felt a bit outside, like something was happening on stage and you were left out. And you wanted to be included.
And that was one of the first things that went through my mind last night. How if you were watching the show, you’d want to be a musician. Today kids want to be stars. Look at the Kardashians, they don’t even play, their talents lie in business and self-promotion. And if you make it in the Spotify Top 50 world, the goal is to become a brand, to sell tchotchkes, perfume, become so big that a Fortune 500 company will back you. What has this got to do with music? NOTHING!
But these people on stage last night. They were lifers. The music came first. And they seemed to be enjoying it, having fun.
And the music was authentic. No hard drives, never mind no dancing. You see when done right, the music is enough, and the music was enough last night.
Now I could recite the performers but the list would be so long you’d be overwhelmed.
But I must mention that Norah Jones can really play the piano, in addition to her ability to sing.
And somehow Tom Jones went from a pariah to a star who always delivers. Sure, we heard “Delilah” back in the sixties, but Tom had no credibility. But since his tour-de-force rendition of Prince’s “Kiss,” he’s been on a well-appreciated victory lap, for decades!
And modern country was represented by Miranda Lambert.
And the hip country of the last century was represented by Lyle Lovett.
But really, other than Willie himself, there were two absolute highlights.
First, Warren Haynes doing “Midnight Rider.” Yes, Willie didn’t write it, but he sang it.
Now at this point, Haynes is 63 himself. But when you saw him singing and playing on stage last night, you realized that he was a bigger star than almost all of those on the hit parade. Warren has paid his dues. If he ever tried to play the star game, one thing is for sure, he never had a hit. But he’s the rock/jam band world’s best utility player. And his voice is as sweet as his guitar playing.
And Haynes played with the Allman Brothers. A twin guitar effort between himself and Derek Trucks. Meaning, Warren knows not only the songs, but the nuances, like Gregg’s “na-na” vocal at the end.
And Gregg may be dead, and in truth “Midnight Rider” was never a hit single, but it has transcended those that were.
“Well I’ve got to run to keep from hidin’
And I’m bound to keep on ridin'”
This isn’t influencer culture. This guy doesn’t have a smartphone, he doesn’t want to be tracked. He’s the other. What music used to represent. Before the players were co-opted by the system. “Midnight Rider” is the flip side of the Eagles’ “Desperado.” They both bring down the house because they resonate with our true identities, we’re caught up in everyday life, but inside we’re still outlaws, we want to think we’re unconstricted, we want to LIVE!
And speaking of unconstricted…
It was hard not to notice the clothing of the performers. Denim ruled.
Today’s “stars” have fashion coordinators. They dress up. These performers were dressed down.
God, the world is upside down. Prior to Tommy Mottola, other than Ahmet, the execs didn’t wear suits and ties. Mo was famous for his open collar. That was the freedom of being a musician, you didn’t have to dress up, you could be the authentic you, all day long, and people would be drawn to you. These are the people who were on stage last night.
But the absolute highlight…
Was the reunion of Neil Young and Stephen Stills.
I tingled when I wrote that. We’re never going to have Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, never mind Crosby, Stills & Nash, ever again. And Neil Young is always on his own trip, owned by nobody, and he doesn’t need anybody else, and I saw Frank Gironda backstage, I knew Neil was there, but not Stephen.
Yes, Stephen looks a bit worse for wear. Then again, don’t all of us?
And Neil launches into “Long May You Run,” the opening track by the ill-fated Stills-Young Band. Great metaphor for Willie, but that tour, where Neil disappeared in the middle of it…to see them reunited was mind-blowing.
But not as much as what came next.
Stephen Stills sang “For What It’s Worth.”
Talk about tingling.
“There’s something happening here
But what it is ain’t exactly clear”
That was a hit in 1967. It was written about the Sunset Strip riots. Outside Pandora’s Box, on a strip of land that no longer even exists.
That was youth power back in the sixties. We had a sense of optimism, that we could move mountains, accomplish anything, and the music was our guiding light. Our artists weren’t sold out, they had credibility.
And that was almost sixty years ago.
Making Stephen Stills… 78 years old?
I mean he’s still here. But that was a really long time ago.
But I was there, and here too.
I remember Stills on TV wearing that cowboy hat.
But what I didn’t know…
The two changed guitars for “For What It’s Worth.” Neil strapped on his Les Paul, “Old Black,” and as they began to play… I never realized that it was Neil playing those sustained high notes. My mind ran through the members of the band, OF COURSE IT WAS NEIL!
There is definitely something happening in America today. And it definitely isn’t clear. Furthermore, when it comes to cultural leaders, that we can trust, none come to mind.
And I’m sitting in the rapidly cooling air, staring at the flag of California, and I mentally pinch myself. All these years later, I am here. Living the dream.
Forget the b.s. spewed by the right. Living in California is free and easy compared to everywhere else in America. As for retreating to the hinterlands, I tell everyone that everybody in the music business has to come through Los Angeles at least once a year, and I am here.
This show couldn’t have happened any place else. This is where special events occur. And if you’re clued-in and know the right people… You can be there too.
Other highlights. Nathaniel Rateliff’s two appearances, one with Margo Price, the other solo, singing “City of New Orleans,” sounding eerily like Willie himself.
Two Lumineers performing “A Song for You.”
And then there was Sturgill Simpson. For a clean-cut guy with no airs, he certainly radiates a ton of charisma. Sturgill’s not evident on the hit parade, but he’s a god amongst those who follow the scene.
I mean it was endless. Chris Stapleton, the most revered man in Nashville… I mean this guy is the anti-star. He looks like he just came in from the barn, and he’s overweight, but when he opens his mouth…
And Rosanne Cash duetted with Kris Kristofferson. Kris was beaming, staring into the audience, I would love to know what was going through his mind. Someone said “nothing,” but just because he can’t communicate, that does not mean he doesn’t feel anything.
And then there was George Strait… If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool country fan, that was enough, right there.
But when Stephen and Neil’s performance came to an end, out came the man himself.
Walking slowly. After all, he’s 90. And I’m thinking of Biden. But then Willie sits down and starts picking and singing and ultimately talking and it became clear that the Red Headed Stranger hadn’t lost a step.
Still with the beat-up guitar. And with that unique voice that sailed over everything.
And his sense of humor.
And his bandanna and cowboy hat.
Willie hadn’t changed. In a world where seemingly everybody does. He was a beacon.
And Willie sang with his two sons and I’m thinking…that’ll get you high on your birthday.
And it actually WAS Willie’s birthday, April 29th. And he sang “Happy Birthday” to himself, and then “On the Road Again” and everybody came out for “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and then it was over.
So, what exactly did we see?
They filmed it, you’ll be able to see it sometime, but we caught it in real time.
Do you know how hard it is to get somebody to show up? Nearly impossible. They’ve got tons of excuses. Usually that they’re on the road, or in the studio or… But everybody showed up for Willie, there was no B-level talent filling the slots.
And it was certainly about the music. Sure, there were stars, but they weren’t doing star turns, other than Snoop Dogg, who came out to duet on “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die.”
Somehow, it was the real America.
Oh, this isn’t a city versus country statement. What I mean is the show was upfront and honest. There were no tricks. What you got was human beings rendering the skills that they’d honed over years.
We respect talent in America. We respect hard work.
Then again, you can get cell service everywhere these days. You can be alienated, but the world is just a click away.
But so much is a diversion. You’re rarely left alone with your thoughts anymore.
But that’s the way it used to be. We’d be driving down the highway, looking out at the Big Sky Country through the windshield, with the radio turned up as our compatriot, contemplating life.
I contemplated life last night. And it wasn’t so much that I got answers as I saw possibilities. Yes, music can set your mind free. Especially the kind that can never be made by machines, but only Homo sapiens.
What a long, strange trip it’s been.
That’s right, Bob Weir was there. God, it must be hard psychologically to continue after Jerry. And Weir was always the youngest, but now he looks like a gold miner from two centuries ago.
And when it’s all over, the musicians will scatter, they’ll be on the road again. And when they come to your town you’ll go see them for a hit of what they delivered last night.
But last night was a gale force wind, a tsunami, an earthquake.
But a temblor is enough, a soft breeze if it’s done right.
You know what I’m talking about. You speak the language.
And the words were loud and clear last night.
“Willie’s 90th-Night Two”
What would you say if I told you the highlight was Dave Matthews?
You’d choke, do a spit take, how could that be?
Dave is like Bruce. And the Dead while I’m at it. I’ve got no problem with the act, but their audience… Yes, these three are tarred by their audience. You cannot be an expert on Bruce or the Dead, even if you saw the act before the speaker was alive. They know better. As for Dave… His Gen-X fans, the people who discovered him in college, those who grew up in comfort and have now established themselves financially…seemingly everybody hates these people other than themselves.
But that does not make Dave Matthews bad. Quite the opposite.
Dave came out alone, sans band, cracked a few self-deprecating jokes, as he is wont to do, and then knocked it far over the fence with a completely rearranged version of “Funny How Time Slips Away.” Like Joe Cocker (not that he sounded anything like him), Dave rearranged a classic and made it his own. This was not a rote rendition, this was something new, and it resonated.
And then there was the tour-de-force with Jamey Johnson, Warren Haynes and Booker T. Jones on “Georgia On My Mind.”
I’d forgotten to reference Johnson’s appearance on the first night. Actually, Jamey was a part of the band. Way off to the side. Picking on that oversized guitar. And it’s hard not to ponder how Jamey sleeps with that long beard and long hair, but last night he literally let his hair down, stepped up to the mic and sang. To tell you the truth, I actually thought Jamey’s rendition of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Live Forever” was superior the night before, but “Georgia On My Mind” had the crowd standing, partly as a result of the secret sauce Warren Haynes added.
As for Kris Kristofferson… I thought he was one and done. But last night he came out with Norah Jones and performed “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and… It seemed like he didn’t know where to come in, and when he did his voice was very soft, but then Kris hit his stride and it was a marvel. Kinda like Tony Bennett, the songs are still in him, even though he seems removed from life.
And oh, I forgot to mention Shooter Jennings and Lukas Nelson performing “Good Hearted Woman.” They were in the groove, they rocked, it was anything but superfluous, there was energy, the performance added to the song, made you realize Shooter and Lukas deserve the accolades.
And Nathaniel Rateliff… He’s famous for his work with the Night Sweats, but he’s one break away from being America’s vocalist. Man, this guy did an amazing version of “A Song For You.” He feels the music and it’s cognitive dissonance to see this sweet sound coming out of this burly man…this is the humanity absent from today’s digitized world. Rateliff felt the song, and his feeling was conveyed to the audience.
And then there was Willie.
He walked a little better last night. He was more relaxed, in the groove, and he was on stage longer. And man could he pick! Willie might be aged and wrinkled, but he doesn’t seem to have lost anything, either with his singing or playing. The edge from the night before was gone, this was more of a party, the closing hour of a two day celebration.
Buddy Cannon alone with Willie was a highlight. This guy’s got amazing credits, not only with Willie, but with Kenny Chesney. Buddy was so normal, yet so right.
And then came Keef. Yes, Keith Richards. Like you’ve never seen him before. As in Johnny Depp’s pirate act didn’t resemble this guy whatsoever. Keith seems to have come out the other side. Articulate and coherent. It’s hard to square him with the guy he used to be, his reputation. Keith was totally present. Sure, his hair was white, but Richards appeared much younger than his age. There was no snarl, he was not removed, he was a whole new person, and that was endearing and uplifting.
And at the end of the night, Willie said “Same time tomorrow night.”
It was an inside joke. Won’t work when you see the movie, but if you were there both nights… Most special occasions have concertgoers on the edge of their seats, in rapt attention, drooling, you can almost hear a pin drop. But the past two nights, especially Sunday, it was more like a family reunion, with entertainment, you felt the loss, you wondered what you were going to do Monday night, you expected more, wanted more, and it turned out Willie Nelson felt the same way.
These shows were unusual in that ultimately they felt less like events, and more like life. The music was the grease, that smoothed out the bumps in your life, that took you away from not only the humdrum, but the inexplicable that we all deal with in the real world.
This was not the real world. This was a better world. Where everybody was happy, celebrating, and we all got along. It hearkened back to an earlier era, before greed and ignorance separated the classes. When you could save up and be anywhere if it was important enough to you. There were no brick walls keeping you out. If it was your desire to be inside, you could be there.
Sure, we have our heroes, but in truth these musicians are no different from you and me. It’s that this is their job. Traveling from city to city, hamlet to hamlet, playing their songs. Some nights they’re better than others, some nights the crowd is bigger than others, some nights it fails completely and other nights it transcends everybody’s expectations, as if the musicians are channeling God and the audience is reading from the prayer book.
When done right, you never know exactly what you’ll get. But when done right your spirit will be lifted. That’s why we adore these players. Not because they look good, but because of how they make us feel.
And I’m still coming down from how Willie and his cohorts made me feel this weekend. This is the feeling I live for.
Willie’s 90th-Night Two
What would you say if I told you the highlight was Dave Matthews?
You’d choke, do a spit take, how could that be?
Dave is like Bruce. And the Dead while I’m at it. I’ve got no problem with the act, but their audience… Yes, these three are tarred by their audience. You cannot be an expert on Bruce or the Dead, even if you saw the act before the speaker was alive. They know better. As for Dave… His Gen-X fans, the people who discovered him in college, those who grew up in comfort and have now established themselves financially…seemingly everybody hates these people other than themselves.
But that does not make Dave Matthews bad. Quite the opposite.
Dave came out alone, sans band, cracked a few self-deprecating jokes, as he is wont to do, and then knocked it far over the fence with a completely rearranged version of “Funny How Time Slips Away.” Like Joe Cocker (not that he sounded anything like him), Dave rearranged a classic and made it his own. This was not a rote rendition, this was something new, and it resonated.
And then there was the tour-de-force with Jamey Johnson, Warren Haynes and Booker T. Jones on “Georgia On My Mind.”
I’d forgotten to reference Johnson’s appearance on the first night. Actually, Jamey was a part of the band. Way off to the side. Picking on that oversized guitar. And it’s hard not to ponder how Jamey sleeps with that long beard and long hair, but last night he literally let his hair down, stepped up to the mic and sang. To tell you the truth, I actually thought Jamey’s rendition of Billy Joe Shaver’s “Live Forever” was superior the night before, but “Georgia On My Mind” had the crowd standing, partly as a result of the secret sauce Warren Haynes added.
As for Kris Kristofferson… I thought he was one and done. But last night he came out with Norah Jones and performed “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and… It seemed like he didn’t know where to come in, and when he did his voice was very soft, but then Kris hit his stride and it was a marvel. Kinda like Tony Bennett, the songs are still in him, even though he seems removed from life.
And oh, I forgot to mention Shooter Jennings and Lukas Nelson performing “Good Hearted Woman.” They were in the groove, they rocked, it was anything but superfluous, there was energy, the performance added to the song, made you realize Shooter and Lukas deserve the accolades.
And Nathaniel Rateliff… He’s famous for his work with the Night Sweats, but he’s one break away from being America’s vocalist. Man, this guy did an amazing version of “A Song For You.” He feels the music and it’s cognitive dissonance to see this sweet sound coming out of this burly man…this is the humanity absent from today’s digitized world. Rateliff felt the song, and his feeling was conveyed to the audience.
And then there was Willie.
He walked a little better last night. He was more relaxed, in the groove, and he was on stage longer. And man could he pick! Willie might be aged and wrinkled, but he doesn’t seem to have lost anything, either with his singing or playing. The edge from the night before was gone, this was more of a party, the closing hour of a two day celebration.
Buddy Cannon alone with Willie was a highlight. This guy’s got amazing credits, not only with Willie, but with Kenny Chesney. Buddy was so normal, yet so right.
And then came Keef. Yes, Keith Richards. Like you’ve never seen him before. As in Johnny Depp’s pirate act didn’t resemble this guy whatsoever. Keith seems to have come out the other side. Articulate and coherent. It’s hard to square him with the guy he used to be, his reputation. Keith was totally present. Sure, his hair was white, but Richards appeared much younger than his age. There was no snarl, he was not removed, he was a whole new person, and that was endearing and uplifting.
And at the end of the night, Willie said “Same time tomorrow night.”
It was an inside joke. Won’t work when you see the movie, but if you were there both nights… Most special occasions have concertgoers on the edge of their seats, in rapt attention, drooling, you can almost hear a pin drop. But the past two nights, especially Sunday, it was more like a family reunion, with entertainment, you felt the loss, you wondered what you were going to do Monday night, you expected more, wanted more, and it turned out Willie Nelson felt the same way.
These shows were unusual in that ultimately they felt less like events, and more like life. The music was the grease, that smoothed out the bumps in your life, that took you away from not only the humdrum, but the inexplicable that we all deal with in the real world.
This was not the real world. This was a better world. Where everybody was happy, celebrating, and we all got along. It hearkened back to an earlier era, before greed and ignorance separated the classes. When you could save up and be anywhere if it was important enough to you. There were no brick walls keeping you out. If it was your desire to be inside, you could be there.
Sure, we have our heroes, but in truth these musicians are no different from you and me. It’s that this is their job. Traveling from city to city, hamlet to hamlet, playing their songs. Some nights they’re better than others, some nights the crowd is bigger than others, some nights it fails completely and other nights it transcends everybody’s expectations, as if the musicians are channeling God and the audience is reading from the prayer book.
When done right, you never know exactly what you’ll get. But when done right your spirit will be lifted. That’s why we adore these players. Not because they look good, but because of how they make us feel.
And I’m still coming down from how Willie and his cohorts made me feel this weekend. This is the feeling I live for.
