For over half a century, Willie Nelson has been an influential figure in country music. He has served as the voice behind some of the genre’s most recognizable tunes, including “On the Road Again” and “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.” With countless awards and number one hits galore, Nelson’s career has been packed full of monumental moments.
But over the course of his 60-year career, there’s one thing that Nelson hasn’t done in 42 years. However, that is soon set to change.
On October 20, 1974, Nelson performed at the War Memorial Auditorium in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Although Nelson has toured all over the country since then, he has never returned to the War Memorial Auditorium in the 42 years that have passed since his last visit.
There is a rich history behind the War Memorial Auditorium, which was built in 1925 according to the “About” section on its website. The main feature of the auditorium is its crescent-shaped stage, which contributes to high-quality acoustics in the space. As a result, many live albums have been recorded by various artists in the venue.
Music Row announced on Monday (December 19) that Nelson and his family are scheduled to finally return to the War Memorial Auditorium on January 7, 2017. Tickets will be available for purchase on Wednesday (December 21) at 10 AM. You can get your tickets off of the War Memorial Auditorium website or call 615-782-4030. If you happen to be in the area, tickets can be purchased at the Tennessee Performing Arts Box office as well.
Ticket prices will start at $60.00 for the concert. There is a limit of eight tickets per household, according to the War Memorial Auditorium’s page for the event.
The War Memorial Auditorium show will be Nelson’s fourth in 2017. He’s set to kick off the year with two sold-out performances at the Granada Theater in Dallas, Texas on January 3 and his tour will continue well into August.
Nelson is also scheduled as one of the performers during the Stagecoach country music festival in Indio, California on April 29. If you’d like to learn more about Nelson’s upcoming tour dates and stops, you can check out his website for that information.
For those who attend Nelson’s show at the War Memorial Auditorium, the 42-year wait will be well worth it. At age 83, Nelson is still going strong with no signs of stopping. He recorded and released two albums in 2016, the first being Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin. After receiving the Gershwin Prize from the Library of Congress, Nelson recorded covers of songs written by George and Ira Gershwin to include on a new album.
Nelson’s second album of 2016 was in honor of another country great. Called For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price, the album features Nelson’s covers of some of Price’s most memorable songs. You can hear one of those recordings below.