Willie Nelson Plays The Cotillion, 3/10

While it's common now for mature pop artists to attempt to put their own stamp on the American Songbook, Nelson practically invented the approach.

As a Nashville artist in the '60s, Nelson himself penned more than a few tunes that have arguably become American classics themselves, including "Crazy," "Night Life" and the sublime "Funny How Time Slips Away."

But that was just the prologue for the iconoclastic singer-songwriter, who would redraw the borders of country music in the '70s after moving back to Texas and settling in the musical melting pot of Austin. Along with fellow traveler Waylon Jennings, Nelson was labeled the outlaw of the genre, but he was more visionary than rebel, especially with the way he attracted rock fans to take a closer look at country. He was celebrated for his work with buddies like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, but scaled even greater chart heights by singing, improbably enough, with Julio Iglesias ("To All the Girls I Loved Before"). Other recent cohorts have included jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel and reggae icon Ziggy Marley.

Nelson took the one-time Elvis Presley hit, "You Were Always on My Mind" to 1 on the country chart and to Top Five on the pop chart in the early eighties. Looking back for a moment, Nelson decides, "Hopefully, I'm a better singer. Hopefully, I'm a better guitar player-you're either going to get better or worse, you can't stay in one spot. I like to think that the band and I have progressed a lot and learned a lot from doing these songs. There is truth in the statement that you learn by doing, so the more you do 'em, the better you get."

Fans around the world know that the adventurous Nelson can sing just about anything-and with just about anyone he pleases. As he sees it, "The more songs you know, the more musicians you listen to, the more writers you hear, the better equipped you are to decide where you want to go next. That's why I want to listen to everyone and everything and then decide which way I want to go. Then, of course, I might change my mind and go in an entirely different direction. But at least I have all these options."

Willie Nelson 7:30 pm Thursday, March 10. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Reserved seat advance tickets are $51.00,

$46.50 and $44.00 at Select-a-Seat, The Cotillion, House of Sight & Sound (Salina) and the employee clubs.

For further information and to charge tickets by phone call 316-722-4201 or logon to thecotillion.com.

Don't Miss a Kansas City News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...