Legend

People still line up and pay money to get an autograph from Pete Rose even though he has been banned from baseball for years. The memory of how he played the game so exquisitely has endeared him to many a fan and his membership in the Big Red Machine still lines them up wherever he goes. Muhammed Ali can hardly even speak now and walks with a shuffle instead of dancing with the Ali Shuffle. Those fantastic, legendary bouts with Joe Frazier make him “The Greatest” in the minds of many boxing aficionados. In light of these instances can we agree that people just don't go see Willie Nelson just to hear him sing.

Willie is some eighty years old now and his voice, like many of ours, has just taken a trip along the river of time and is not quite what it used to be. In all honesty, he was never a great singer anyway. He was, however, a great songwriter and performer. The tales of his exploits and encounters with the law are legendary. People still pay the bucks to line up and press the stage for his concerts.

At our own Master Musician's Festival this year Willie Nelson was the headline star. Rumor has it that he was paid far more than any other performer we have ever had. It was a bid to drive attendance up and, from all accounts, it was a successful one. From a musical standpoint it left a little to be desired. Willie spoke most of the lines, breaking into tune only sporadically. There were a lot of people present who were there to enjoy hearing the legend sing his classics. We wondered would he sing Red Headed Stranger? Or Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain? Or maybe Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.

After shooting some photos up close I made my way back through the crowd that was pressing at the retainer fence to a spot in the clear a little farther back where I could see the panorama and, to be truthful, enjoy the music a bit more. A not so well known fact is that the sound is not the best up near the stage. One does not get the full benefit of the sound engineers and the pounding of those big speakers and the monitors drown out the nuances. While I was at the back I noticed quite a few of the older set leaving. From my conversations with them it seems they actually expected to hear Willie sing and were somewhat disappointed that his vocal performance was not up to their expectations. My opinion is that they expected too much from an outdoor open air concert format. You just aren't going to get a studio sound in that environment but you are going to make up for that with the excitement and participation generated. Let's just face it. A lot of times as we age excitement and participation are not exactly first on our list of priorities. However, I am delighted to say that there were many of my generation still digging on the vibe of the performer's interaction with the crowd. In a performance such as this the crowd is a distinct part of the whole thing.

As for Willie's vocals, I have heard some reference his age but I don't know about that. From time to time when he broke into song he seemed quite capable of hitting the notes. Perhaps he couldn't sustain it or perhaps he just didn't want to. At this stage of his life and career I suppose he can do whatever he wants to do. But, as for the goal of increasing excitement and attendance I have to say this year's festival was a rousing success that validates the axiom that you must spend money to make money.

Other circumstances helped to make this year's festival a successful one. Chris Knight was likely at the best I have ever heard him. He reminded me of some of the more legendary singers of his type of music. Robert Earl Keen came to mind. One person remarked that he sounded somewhat like a weird version of John Mellencamp. I could see that. His ability to tell a story with his music is formidable and getting better all the time. I don't know if a person could say enough about how good The David Mayfield Parade is. He tries his best to obscure his musicality with hilarious antics but he is very good. I got some good photos but the one I have seen with the blonde girl up on the doghouse is poster material. I think we should just put him on retainer for future festivals.

This was the first year for beer sales at the festival and that was a big hit judging from the length of the lines. Festival goers were not allowed to bring any adult beverages into the festival and so were limited to what was on sale there. People who attend these things are remarkably creative when it comes to smuggling so I am certain that some amount was sneaked past the vigilant eyes of those responsible but it wasn't a lot. I remarked to a friend that the crowd was much better behaved than usual to which she replied, “compared to what?” Well, compared to past festivals. For the most part it was a civil and mannerly crowd.

Legions of men and women in military uniform were visible and the Somerset City Police force was there on the Somerset Police Force golf carts and Segways. I wondered what would happen if they needed to give chase since the terrain would not be that favorable to going fast in a golf cart but I did notice that the Segways had the off road tires. A few years back the police force did crowd control on bicycles and that seemed to be more appropriate but what would be better still is for the officers to be on foot, using the opportunity to relate to the festival goers and to foster good will. It is difficult for me to take Segways seriously as a law enforcement tool. I keep thinking of the guy that owned the company that manufactures them plunging to his death off a cliff on one of the devices.

Well, I had promised my readers there was another festival column coming and here it is. From my viewpoint it appears that the festival was a huge success and lays the groundwork for more success in the future. It looked back to the humble beginnings of our festival and brought it forward to the present. The occasions that it gives unknown talent a stage on which to perform are what I would call one of the best aspects of the festival.

My take on the festival is that I am already looking forward to next year. Put it on your calendar.