Sometime during the spring of 1999, Willie Nelson opened his set at the Silver Bullet Bar in Columbia, Missouri, with “Whiskey River.” Four hours later, Jack and Cokes had done us all in, and we’d sang our asses off along to “Crazy,” “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain,” “Always on My Mind,” “On the Road Again,” “Georgia,” “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” and three dozen other classics. Since then, there’s been “Beer for My Horses,” “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other,” Countryman, Songbird and Last of the Breed. Since then, the Silver Bullet has changed to Biggest Bar and Grill (aka “Bigass Bar and Grill”), then to Cody’s. Since then, he got busted and I got a job, but damned if Willie doesn’t still open his set with “Whiskey River.” –Julie Seabaugh
September 28, 8 p.m., $52-$132. The Joint, 693-5000.