Willie and Family Live @ Billy Bob's

[regaleagle]

It was on Saturday nite, Jan. 3rd and a replay that first aired back on 5/2/2004. His music lives and will never die.....I've been listening to it since 1974 as a freshman at SWTSU. It was that first year that Kent Finlay opened the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, and I was very fortunate to listen in on the writers and musical artists of that day.....most of the time free because I was friends with Kent. Back in those days we had George(Strait) and his Ace in the Hole band playing there many times, ZZ Top Band would come in from San Antone, Alvin Crow, Asleep at the Wheel, Marcia Ball, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Waylon Jennings, Doug Sahm, Stevie(Ray) Vaughan-my age almost to the day, Augie Meyer, and many more but not the least of which was Willie. We drank beers together and talked about just about any and everything around Kent's table back then....and just about everybody back then somehow knew these were really special times in that ol' Honky Tonk in little old San Marcos by the railroad tracks. I never even thought once to get a picture or signature from any of these musical artists.....that's just the way it was back then. You just didn't do that if you were in the scene with them. I have a lot of old albums from the 70's and 80's, but I no longer have my old turntable and speakers.....remember those? I guess I need to go buy a new one and dust some of those old albums off, huh? There's lots of fine memories attached to those songs when I play them again. When I got married back in 83, my wife(originally from Albany,NY via Corpus Christi) added to the stack with her collection of original Beatles, Doors, The Band, and many more. I guess I have a fairly broad collection of classic albums.....even though maybe 20 yrs ago I let a bunch of the non-choice one go to a collector that went thru them, but I reckon he picked up some mighty scarce ones I didn't realize at the time, haha. That's what everybody did back then.....buy and collect an album stash of music. Nowadays its all electronic.....just not the same. Now after the Wilie broadcast on AXStv is THE LAST WALTZ airing tonite @ midnight. It will feature THE BAND's final concert with Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and Muddy Waters. It's like a concert/documentary taped LIVE at the time and is worth viewing if you like to reminisck and hear really good music with great lyrics. Nothing like that time.

[regaleagle]

Oh Wow.....Dr. Hook just played a song on the piano in THE LAST WALTZ......very, very cool. You just don't see these kind of jam sessions in a Live concert format anymore. And with such a star-studded cast.

[regaleagle]

Now here comes Neil Young. He's playing the harmonica on his neck support while playing the guitar.....just so so cool. Singing HELPLESS, HELPLESS. I have that on one of my Neil Young albums.....got to go get that turntable!! Naturally he's playing lead with THE BAND in this song, as they are "tearing it up".

[regaleagle]

This THE FIRST WALTZ aired Live back in 1978....just to give everybody a point of reference.....before many of you were born, LOL. I encourage you to go to your electronic satellite or cable lineup and look for another showing this month of this concert on AXStv. I guarantee you'll really enjoy the show.

[regaleagle]

Oh yeah.....good for the soul and will put the "jump" back into your step, not to mention it's good medicine for uplifting your spirits.

[regaleagle]

THE BAND is playing one hit after another.....what a joy to hear. Even if you're "young" you'll easily recognize these hits.

[regaleagle]

Back in 78 when the concert took place I was 24. What an era for great music!!! Check it out and see for yourself. Most of the hits they are playing and singing occurred before that.....some were played for the very first time at Woodstock(1969), many after that.

[regaleagle]

Now here's Neil Diamond on stage playing......just unbelievable.

[regaleagle]

Now here comes Joni Mitchell. For those of you not familiar with this artist.....she's a "must see".

[regaleagle]

Paul Butterfield on the harmonica with Mystery Train now. Now here comes a real classic with Muddy Waters.....another "must see". Singing Mannish Boy.....what a classic Blues song.

[regaleagle]

Up next....the inimitable(not able to imitate) Eric Clapton, Mr. Guitar.

[regaleagle]

Emmylou Harris now singing Evangeline.

[regaleagle]

Of course the real star of this concert is none other than Robbie Robertson on lead for The Band and leading the way on many, many songs while accompanying most of the guest artists. Right now he's singing and playing "Ophelia".

[regaleagle]

WOW....Van "the man" Morrison.

[regaleagle]

Now the one and only......Bob Dylan.....dressed in his typical '70's rogueish look, haha. FOREVER YOUNG to the rooftops, only the way Bob Dylan can sing and play it with Robbie Robertson on the lead. Listen to the lyrics. He just jumped into "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down"

[regaleagle]

I have quite a few of Dylan's albums. At one time I was "into" that kind of thing in my younger days.....heck I think we ALL were, LOL.

[regaleagle]

Everybody on stage now singing and playing together.....must be at least 30 of em, including Ringo Starr. Ringo's on the drums....the song is "I Shall Be Released" , a Dylan song he wrote in the late 60's.

[regaleagle]

Great way to spend a Saturday night on late nite TV.

[regaleagle]

Up next is the reshowing of the Willie Nelson concert earlier. He's drowning in a "Whiskey River" to start off the concert, haha.

[regaleagle]

Heck, I think I'll listen to some of this again......just can't get too much of Willie!

[regaleagle]

"Now grab your partner, pat her on the head....if she don't like bisquits, feed her cornbread".....Don't see why you don't stay a little longer.

[regaleagle]

"She's a good-hearted woman in love with a good-timing man". "She loves him in spite of his ways she don't understand."

[regaleagle]

Now he's "Crazy".....one of his first songs he wrote while in Nashville in the 60's that Patsy Cline first made his first big hit. It was her big hit song too, but he wrote it.

[regaleagle]

"Nightlife Ain't No Good Life, but It's My Life", then little sister Bobbie on the piano.

[regaleagle]

Willie's 81 yrs. young right now.....emphasis on young. They say he received a black-belt in Korean Martial Arts this past year after 20 yrs. from his Master in Austin, Tx. He ain't no sloucher. Still plays a very busy schedule today.