Willie Nelson at Glastonbury 2010 | Review

Cramming 30 songs into an hour-long set, the outlaw country legend shows no sign of slowing down as he approaches 80

Who: Willie Nelson

Where and when: Pyramid stage, 3.15pm

Dress code: Nelson, like Johnny Cash before him, is the Man in Black. His trademark chieftain's braid has been replaced with shoulder-length hair, his bandana with a Stetson and shades.

What happened: For his first Glastonbury appearance in 10 years, 77-year-old Nelson delivers a brisk stroll through his back catalogue, cramming in 30 songs in under an hour. All the classics are present and correct: Whiskey River, Good Hearted Woman, On the Road Again, Crazy, Georgia On My Mind, Bloody Mary Morning, Crying, plus numerous nods to Hank Williams. A highlight of the set is the touching sight of Nelson trading licks with his "little sister" Bobbie Lee on piano. Armed with "Trigger", his battered relic of a guitar with a hole in the side, Nelson displays serious soloing skills, proving he is as much in thrall to jazz, blues and rock'n'roll as he is to country.

Who's watching: An audience sweltering in the kind of heat you would expect in Nelson's home state of Texas. Among a sea of straw hats is one fan wearing a "Willie for president" T-shirt. At the side of the stage, Rolf Harris takes pictures of his hero.

High point: During Always On My Mind, the typically stoic Nelson appears, if only briefly, to well up when the crowd joins in on the chorus. It's an uplifting moment, recalling the euphoria that greeted Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah at Glastonbury in 2008.

Low point: Rumours that Nelson was to be joined on stage by Snoop Dogg prove to be false. Sadly, Glastonbury will never get to hear the two marijuana-loving musicians performing a country take on Gin and Juice.

In a tweet: As he approaches 80, the Stetson-sporting, spliff-toting, Bush-baiting, outlaw-country legend shows no sign of slowing down.

Contributor

Dafydd Goff

The GuardianTramp

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