Willie Nelson & George Straight- Austin, TX

I will never forgive myself for missing Merle Haggard at the Golden Horseshoe back in late 2014. We had other plans that night, and I just assumed I had time to catch him later. I did not. So while I can now never see The Hag live, I always try not to miss any other living legends when they have a show. 

Fast forward to 2022, when I happened to hear that George Straight would be joining Willie Nelson for his Austin birthday concerts. Despite learning about the concerts only days before, and living on the other side of the country, there was nothing that was going to stop me from attending. Nothing- not the threat of Covid, or the ridiculous cost of resale concert tickets- would keep me from this show. 

The night was pure musical magic, and unforgettable in every way. Willie sounded better live than he had in years, and George was absolute perfection. Watching them preform together was transcendent. 

Given Willie’s penchant for being on the road (and seeming immortality), I may well get a chance to see him again. George may well come out of retirement, and join another old friend for a one off show. But if not, I will always have my memories of the show I did not miss.