With the Texas state flag as a backdrop, Nelson took the stage armed with
“Trigger,” his well battered Martin N-20 guitar. His Family Band,
featuring longtime members Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Bee Spears on
bass, Paul English on drums, Billy English on percussion, and his sister
Bobbie Nelson on piano, provided accompaniment.
The band launched right into things with  “Whiskey River,” and did not
come up for air until over two hours later. Although he recently turned 75
years old, Nelson’s voice has the same familiar, nasally timbre–he’s a
storyteller more than a singer. There are no teleprompters onstage, no
flubbed vocals.
And then there’s his guitar playing.
On songs like “On the Road Again,” and “Crazy,” he stuck pretty close to
the melody, and played it beautifully. Other songs like “Blue Eyes Crying
in the Rain” found him exploring well outside the melody. His technique is
unorthodox yet flawless. One minute he’s fingerpicking, the next
flatpicking,  the next an odd combination of both. He plays single note
runs, arpeggios, low end bass patterns, and is not the least bit scared to
go up above the twelfth fret. An underrated guitar player, Nelson’s genius
on the instrument lies in his rhythm playing, and the creative way he
fills space between verses.
Sharing the instrumental spotlight  was Mickey Raphael on harmonica, whose
second position solos and backup playing provide a foil to Nelson’s
guitar. Willie’s sister Bobbie also had her share of solos, playing a
quirky, two-handed honky tonk style that countrified the proceedings.
For those looking for singalongs in the crowd–which ranged from
twenty-somethings to octogenarians–there were plenty: “Still is Still
Moving to Me,” “Night Life,” “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be
Cowboys,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” and the tear jerker “Always on My
Mind,” all made the setlist as did a handful of covers from Hank Williams
(“Move it on Over”) and Kris Kristofferson (“Me and Bobby McGee”). Newer
material like “Superman,” and “You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore” had 
some of us laughing out loud at verses unfit to print here.
The best delivery  came during “Me and Paul,” a short little ditty that
sums up his friendship with drummer Paul English, who has been in Nelson’s
live band since 1955:
"Almost busted in Laredo,
But for reasons that I'd rather not disclose,
But if you're stayin' in a motel there and leave,
Just don't leave nothin' in your clothes.
And at the airport in Milwaukee,
They refused to let us board the plane at all,
They said we looked suspicious,
But I believe they like to pick on me and Paul."

For more information visit www.willieneslon.com.

Upcoming  at Mohegan Sun:
Brooks & Dunn, Oct. 4
Janet Jackson, Oct. 11
America, Oct. 18-19
Derek Trucks Band, Oct. 26
The Who, Oct. 28
For a complete list of performers visit www.mohegansun.com/entertainment.