Willie Nelson plays first Bloomington show in nearly a decade

Country singer-songwriter Willie Nelson returned to the IU Auditorium stage for the first time since 2004 for a one-night set Saturday, opened by Pegi Young and the Survivors.

The show began at 7:30 p.m. with Young and her band. Their set included songs such as “Love Like Water” and “Number Nine Train,” featuring a harmonica solo from Nelson’s harmonica player, Mickey Rafael. Young also performed “Feel Just Like a Memory,” which her group recently performed on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Nelson and his band, the Family, took the stage at 8:30 p.m. and were greeted by a standing ovation from the nearly full auditorium.

“Hello, there,” Nelson said to the crowd. “It’s been a long, long time.”

The set opened with “Whiskey River,” and as Nelson and his band began the song, a Texas flag dropped behind them, eliciting cheers and applause from the audience.

One of Nelson’s most popular songs from the crowd’s standpoint was “Beer for My Horses.” Nelson dropped out of the chorus of the song, “whiskey for my men, beer for my horses,” to allow the audience to shout it back at him.

Nelson followed that song with an uninterrupted three-song set, featuring “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Crazy” and his collaboration with blues legend B.B. King, “Night Life.” Nelson’s seamless transitions between each song merited cheers from audience members.

One of the more surprising moments of the night was Nelson’s cover of Ray Charles’ hit, “Georgia On My Mind.” The nearly acoustic song, with minimal percussion, featured dim lighting and set a peaceful ambiance throughout the auditorium.

Nelson and his group kicked the energy back up with another cover, this time of country singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall’s “I’m a Show Shine Man.” During the song, Nelson took his red bandana from his head and threw it at an audience member in the first few rows.

Nelson’s career has spanned more than six decades and has earned him respect from music lovers of all genres.

Bloomington resident Rachel Kearney said she has been a fan of Nelson’s for years, even though her taste in music is not entirely in line with Nelson’s style.

“I adore music, especially opera and classical music,” Kearney said. “But I love Willie Nelson. His music is from the heart. It tells about his rough life and disappointments. It speaks directly to the heart.”

Opportunities to see Nelson in Bloomington are rare, as Nelson’s last performance here was nine years ago. Kearney said she jumped on the opportunity to see Nelson as soon as she found out he would be playing in the Bloomington area.

“I’ve followed him for 35 years, and there aren’t many opportunities to see him live here,” she said. “I didn’t want to pass up seeing a legend.”