For all the disappointments and letdowns that are all too prevalent in music nowadays, it’s nice to know that certain artists will never let you down. Living in a time of false idols, auto tune and manufactured overnight sensations, the favorite son of Texas and country music legend Willie Nelson still has plenty left in his bag of tricks as he proved at last Wednesday night’s sold-out show at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater.
Nelson, the consummate outlaw and the true maverick of country music, has been dazzling his adoring legion of fans for close to 50 years now and judging from last week’s show, he shows no signs of slowing down. His 90-minute set was chock-ful of every Nelson classic any fan, from the casual to the diehard, would want to hear. Sure, his signature songs were there; “Crazy,” “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground” and “One The Road Again” drew wild responses from the mixed-age crowd, which ranged from teenagers to senior citizens.
This article appears in Feb 17-23, 2011.
