Country legend Willie Nelson turns 87 today (April 29), and he’s still making music—his latest album First Rose of Spring is out on July 3. Though Nelson is best known for his roots music, he’s dabbled in many other genres—earlier this year he released My Way, a musical homage to Frank Sinatra, which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album (Nelson’s 13th Grammy win).
To celebrate this musical iconoclast, we’re sharing a vintage Willie Nelson live performance from 1991, accompanied by his longtime harmonica player, Mickey Raphael. The show was recorded at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. at the Neil Young-hosted Bridge School Benefit, which raised money for education for severely handicapped children. Also performing on the bill that evening were Young, Nicolette Larson, John Lee Hooker, Don Henley and Nils Lofgren.
Nelson performed an intimate, unplugged set that included his most famous original songs, including “Be My Valentine” and a medley of “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Crazy” and “Night Life.” He also does a version of “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys,” “On The Road Again” and an encore of “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.”
Listen to a Willie Nelson performance from 1991 below, and revisit Paste’s list of the 10 Best Willie Nelson Songs here.
