Having enjoyed a great deal of his success in the seventies and eighties, I was looking forward to seeing if his performance would stand the test of time. He has released over 100 albums in a career that has spanned six decades and therefore had plenty of material to choose from. I was impressed from the beginning by his stage presence and the distinct lack of ego in his performance. It really was a family affair and each member of the band has a chance to shine, with solos a plenty. It was a night of classics but also a night to witness some new offerings, in particular a gem by the name of Back To Earth, from his recent album, Songbird. Golden oldies like Always On My Mind, Crazy and On The Road Again resulted in rapturous applause and highlighted the immense talent at the disposal of this musical magician. Best of all, as it rolled on and on, I realised I’d witnessed one of the longest sets of my short concert-going career without even noticing. And while he may not be my cup of tea, he’s had a great influence on some of my favourite music. Artists like Ryan Adams have taken on the baton of country music, running strong and even sparing the time to collaborate on Songbird. I get the feeling that Willie doesn’t care much for radical change but then why should he when the formula has worked so well for so long. At 73 years young, there’s still life in the old dog yet. | 
