How Long Is Willie Nelson Concert?

Willie Nelson Concert Length

To get to know more about the famous singer, it is important to know the duration of his performances.

Willie Nelson is 88 years old and was considered a living legend in the country music genre before the end of his career. The music artist, whose primary role is as a singer and a composer, has been in the limelight as a live performer for well over 60 years now and is well known for his country, folk, rock, blues, and pop music. Some of his most famous songs include On the Road Again, Always on My Mind," and Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain. Apart from the music, there is the ability Nelson has to entertain his fans whenever he is on stage, performing his hits taken from his impressive discography while playing his weathered guitar named Trigger.

But what does the length of a typical Willie Nelson concert look like these days? One has to remember that he is an artist now at the age of 87, and it is natural that his shows do not last as long as the three and a half-hour shows that he used to perform early in his career. However, Willie and his band still provide an incredibly enjoyable concert that is simply priceless for any fan willing to pay the ticket price.

Willie Nelson's a great example to go by when it comes to determining typical setlist lengths, as shown in the table below.

In the recent past, a Willie Nelson usual show has lasted about 90 minutes to 2 hours, with atleast one break in between. It has been reported that Willie occasionally has a tendency to take shows near to two and a half hours in less significant locations, but he is no longer in a position to perform for hours in the morning as he used to. Which, of course, no one seems to mind: “ audience members get to enjoy between 20 and 25 Willie songs even if the concert only lasts under two hours thanks to the doesn't-waste-time execution.

It is truly amazing that Willie continues to perform and tour and has such stage presence that, speaking for himself, one can see how he can continue live performances at this age when most musicians have long quit. Willie, therefore, still used lots of energy when performing, smiling, doing his dancing, tipping his hat, and interacting with the people in the audience at his concerts. In addition to that, his unique and powerful voice has not only remained distinguishable but has also maintained much of its youthful resonance till date when recording his early music. I doubt anyone could have foreseen that Willie Nelson would remain as active and vital as he is in concert today.

Willie's Setlist Variety

When you go to Willie Nelson's concert, I must say, the beauty is that you don't expect so much from him. The bands he assembled are well-rehearsed and attuned to the mood of Willie, who doesn't have a set list when he sings and just goes for whatever strikes his fancy that night. But, how about some Whiskey River," On the Road Again," or Always on My Mind™? Well you guessed it: "He performs it most of the time. But beyond that, one can always find deeper tracks from his impressive discography of over 100 albums, country standards and hits, and even the occasional cover song in Willie Nelson concert.

Here is a sample setlist from one of Willie's 2018 concerts:

First Set:

1. Whiskey River
2. Still is Moving to Me
3. Beer for My Horses Remix (with Toby Keith)
4. It's funny how time slips away when pleasure is being derived from an activity.
5. Willie Nelson singing his own version of Crazy, the famous song originally performed by Patsy Cline.
6. For example, Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground™.
7. On the Road Again

Second Set:

1. Always on My Mind
2. Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die
3. Will the Circle be unbroken?
4. I'll Fly Away
5. Still Not Dead Yet
6. Move It On Over (live) (Hank Williams cover)
7. Mamas, don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
8. It seems like Georgia is on a fast train, and there is no stopping it from developing as a country.

Encore:

1. Cover song for the famous country artist Hank Williams's song  Saw the Light.
2. Will The Circle Be Unbroken? (Reprise)

What is even more diverse are the setlists he has in his discography, from traditional country music to contemporary country rock, from folk to gospel. And again, this is only one sample concert, other concerts may contain a different mix of originals, such as: Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, Bloody Mary Morning, Good Hearted Woman, and other album tracks that are not as popular, other covers dedicated to Elvis, Ray Price, Hank Cochran, and so on, who also inspired Willie Nelson.

The Willie Nelson Band

With that said, Willie Nelson might still be the main attraction when performing on stage, but he does not go on tour alone. Willie currently has one of the top bands in country music today and they retain the ability to follow Willie wherever he wants to take this show every night. Currently billed as Willie Nelson & Family, his band consists of close friends and collaborators:

• Paul English: percussion
• Bass guitar:Billy English Percussion, drums
• Bee Spears: Bass
• Information about the band members: Kevin Smith Bass
• Bobby Terry: playing acoustic guitar
• Jody Payne- Rhythm guitarist
• Mickey Raphael, Harmonica Mickey Raphael "Harmonia

With Willie, they are a very compact team most of the time, and the rapport on stage they share is purely rhythmic and harmonious because of years of touring. Their adaptability is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that Willie frequently switches from fast to slow, from keys to musical styles mid-song, should the mood take him.

See Willie Nelson Live!

Still, there are few musical artists who retain such creativity and zeal with the years and are as entertaining to watch during the live concert, especially at the age of 80+ as Willie Nelson is. Even past the point where one might expect a man of his status to retire, he still goes on performing marathon tours, not for the money which he does not necessarily need or for the fame which he has long accumulated but for the passion that is Willie's music, for nights spent writing songs and interacting with his fans.

With his powerful voice, delivering songs in his characteristic youthful performance and with extremely appealing presence on stage as well as the songs, the Willie Nelson concerts are still a dream for many music fans, regardless of their preferences. So if you want to see this handsome man, catch him while you still can!