Willie Nelson is 93, people. Ninety-three! And he’s still touring. By my count, he’s recorded and released 79 solo studio albums, most recently Dream Chaser in May of this year.
He put out two records last year—Oh What a Beautiful World and Workin’ Man—and two more the year before that and two more the year before that. And they’re fantastic! He’s still a gifted songwriter and collaborates with others, including a track co-written with Bob Dylan, “I Can’t Read Your Mind”—their first collaboration since they co-wrote “Heartland” in 1993.
Nelson might have lost a step or two over the years, but his voice is still honest and moving, and his playing on his trusted guitar, Trigger, remains intimate and distinctive. He usually doesn’t play the whole show, hence the “& Family” billing, but songs that frequently turn up on his set lists include Nelson classics like “Crazy,” “Night Life,” “Funny How Time Slips Away,” “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground,” and “On the Road Again.”
He also slips in select covers such as Johnny Bush’s “Whiskey River,” Toby Keith’s “Beer for My Horses,” and William MacEwan’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Keep clapping. He frequently does two encores. The cowboy’s still got it going on.
‘My doctor tells me I should start slowing it down, but there are more old drunks than there are old doctors, so let’s all have another round.’
—Willie Nelson
As Nelson famously sang in his 1969 honky-tonk barnburner “I Gotta Get Drunk,” “My doctor tells me I should start slowing it down, but there are more old drunks than there are old doctors, so let’s all have another round.”
Of course, these days he’s more likely to imbibe Willie’s Reserve!
Willie Nelson & Family plays the Chumash Grandstand Arena this Wednesday, July 22, at the California Mid-State Fair (7:30 p.m.; all ages; tickets starting at $61.85 at ticketmaster.com). If you’re feeling rich and don’t mind flying solo, I saw a verified resale ticket in row A for $868.25! Once-in-a-lifetime chance!
Because we’re in the thick of it at the fair, there are more concerts than I can cover in this short space. Visit midstatefair.com for more details on Lainey Wilson on Friday, July 17; Eric Church on Saturday, July 18; Phil Wickham on Sunday, July 19; Megadeth on Monday, July 20; Howard Jones on Tuesday, July 21; Treaty Oak Revival on Thursday, July 23; and Three Dog Night on Friday, July 24. There’re also three free stages at the fair with tons of concerts.
A songwriter’s songwriter
Good Medicine and Numbskull present James McMurtry & the Martial Law Review at The Siren on Wednesday, July 22 (doors at 7, show at 7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $30.59 at goodmedicinepresents.com).
In case you’re wondering, The Marshall Law Review “consists of the following philanthropists, outlaws, heartbreakers, shitkickers, and every guy you’d like to have back you in a fight: James McMurtry, Tim Holt (guitar), Cornbread (bass), and Daren Hess (drums),” press materials explained.
McMurtry is the son of famous Lonesome Dove novelist Larry McMurtry, which might account for James’ prowess around song lyrics. He captures sharp character sketches of gritty working-class underdogs in darkly humorous situations. Take 2002’s “Choctaw Bingo,” for instance:
“Strap them kids in, give ’em a lil’ bit of vodka/ In a cherry Coke, we’re goin’ to Oklahoma/ To the family reunion for the first time in years/ It’s up at Uncle Slaton’s ’cause he’s getting on in years.”
Or how about this opening line for 2005’s “We Can’t Make It Here”: “There’s a Vietnam vet with a cardboard sign/ Sitting there by the left turn line/ The flag on his wheelchair flapping in the breeze/ One leg missing and both hands free/ No one’s paying much mind to him/ The V.A. budget’s just stretched so thin/ And now there’s more coming back from the Mideast war/ We can’t make it here anymore.”
McMurtry frequently gets political to good effect.
His newest album is 2025’s The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy, which chronicles characters struggling with demons. On the title track, he sings, “The black dog and the wanderin’ boy/ Come around every night/ The wanderin’ boy never gets any older/ The black dog doesn’t bite/ He just sits on the floor at the corner of the bed/ Watchin’ for things that haunt/ They oughta both go away when I take my meds/ But they don’t.”
Writer Stephen King said, “James McMurtry may be the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation.”
He’s certainly a lyrical genius, but he’s humble about it: “You follow the words where they lead. If you can get a character, maybe you can get a story. If you can set it to a verse-chorus structure, maybe you can get a song. A song can come from anywhere, but the main inspiration is fear. Specifically fear of irrelevance. If you don’t have songs, you don’t have a record. If you don’t have a record, you don’t have a tour. You gotta keep putting out work.”
BettySoo opens. Her “vocal prowess is a thing of wonder,” her bio explains. “A world-class instrument of deft phrasing and purity, a voice that knows when to hold back and when to dive in. At her own live shows, taking a verse onstage with friends or singing harmonies in sessions with Austin’s finest, BettySoo sings with consummate loveliness and self-assurance. A voice that knows the roots of American music inside and out, coming from a most unexpected place—a diminutive Korean-American with a deceptively girl-next-door demeanor.”
Boha, Daddy, 101, Chickens,
The Siren’s got music for all tastes this week. Boha Reggae plays on Friday, July 17 (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; free). The Fresno-based reggae fusion band blends roots reggae and rocksteady with folk, rock, and funk.
Nineties rock cover band Joe Daddy plays a matinee show on Saturday, July 18 (2 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older; free). According to organizers, you can expect, “infectious grooves that transcend all ages and musical tastes, … [a] sound [that] makes ya wanna get up and shake what your mama gave ya!”
Flannel 101—the ultimate ’90s party rock band—plays later that night (7:30 p.m.; 21-and-older; $18.48 at tixr.com). Hear hits from Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, No Doubt, 311, Oasis, Stone Temple Pilots, The Offspring, Rage Against the Machine, Blink 182, Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, The Breeders, Veruca Salt, and more!
Credit: PHOTO COURTESY OF STEREO CHICKENS
Stereo Chickens’ The Reunion featuring Maddie Flood plays on Sunday, July 19 (3 to 5 p.m.; 21-and-older; free). “As you may know, it doesn’t happen very often, but ‘we are putting the band back together’ for this very special Stereo Chickens reunion,” the Americana trio announced. Singer-songwriter Jeff Seals opens.
Third-wave ska
Last Chance presents Save Ferris at Rod & Hammer Rock on Thursday, July 23 (doors at 8 p.m.; 18-and-older; $29.33 at ticketweb.com), where the ’90s ska band will play their 1997 debut album from start to finish. The Orange County-based band formed in 1995 and was in the thick of the SoCal punk, rock, and ska scene.
“The group’s humble beginnings saw them play house parties and local venues, powered by Monique Powell’s high-octane vocals,” their bio explains. “Save Ferris’ live show instantly became a hit. As the word spread, the band got a much-needed boost. Legendary KROQ DJ Rodney Bingenheimer got ahold of the band’s self-released album. He played their cover of Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come on Eileen” on his Rodney on the ROQ show, and the response was overwhelming.”
Get ready to skank, rude boys and girls.
Motor City sounds
The Magical Music of Motown comes to the Clark Center on Saturday, July 18 (7:30 p.m.; all ages; $58.50 to $68.50 at clarkcenter.org). A live band will re-create performances by The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Martha and The Vandellas, The Four Tops, The Jackson Five, Smokey Robinson, and more.
Hear songs like “Stop in The Name of Love,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “Heatwave,” “Get Ready,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “Dancing in The Streets,” “Signed Sealed Delivered,” and a ton more.
Al fresco
Concerts in the Plaza continues by the SLO Mission this Friday, July 17, with the acoustic duo opener The Rivalry at 5 p.m. followed by funk and soul headliner The Vibe Setters at 6.
The Rivalry are sisters Haley and Molly Powers, who split their time between Nashville and the Central Coast and play a mix of originals and country roots covers.
The Vibe Setters are fronted by Dante Marsh and also include local luminaries Jon Milsap on guitar, Drake Freeman on bass, Gerald Purify on drums, and Tim Costa on additional percussion. Very groove-centered in-the-pocket funk and soul.
See the … Lighthouse
Miss Leo’s Country Band plays the Port San Luis Lighthouse concert series on Saturday, July 18 (2:30 to 5 p.m.; $46.40 includes a round-trip shuttle or $28.62 if you arrive by sea in your seacraft at my805tix.com).
“About this new band of mine, we are so excited to jam out for you all!” Miss Leo said. “We’ll be playing a lot of the same originals and classics but with some new material mixed in. Same Miss Leo sound but changing it up with drums, pedal steel, electric bass, and fiddle. And don’t worry, bluegrass fans, the Handsome Fellers are still playing together from time to time, too!”
Classic
Festival Mozaic returns with a slate of concerts over the next few weeks. What started as the San Luis Obispo Mozart Festival in 1971 has evolved into a wide-ranging series of concerts, events, and musical genres. There are too many to list, so visit festivalmozaic.org to get the rundown, but here are a couple of highlights:
Music Director Scott Yoo will lead an interactive musical discussion of Shaker Loops, a 1971 composition by American minimalist composer John Adams. The musicians won’t be playing Adams’ complete composition to leave more time for the second part of the event.
“This event will be followed by afternoon tea and wine with the artists as you discuss what you learned from the Notable Encounter,” Festival Mozaic announced.
It’s scheduled for Thursday, July 23, in the Octagon Barn Center (2 p.m.; tickets start at $95). The composition in its entirety will be performed on Friday, July 24, at Patty Boyd Concert Hall, Allan Hancock College (4 p.m.; $25 to $95). The program also includes a string quintet by Brahms and piano quartet by Erno Dohnányi.
Credit: PHOTO COURTESY OF TAIMANE
Ukulele virtuoso Taimane plays the beautiful See Canyon Fruit Ranch near Avila Beach on Sunday, July 26 (4 p.m.; tickets start at $75). Taimane translates to “diamond” in Samoan, and she’s indeed sparkling performer who can play Led Zeppelin and Bach with equal flare. Na Mele o ke Kai opens the show.
Bring the whole family to Carnival of the Animals at Cuesta’s Harold J. Miossi CPAC on Wednesday, July 29 (11:30 a.m.; $5).
“The Movement Arts Center once again joins forces with Festival Mozaic to lead this family-friendly performance of Carnival of the Animals by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns, featuring local dancers acting out each of the animals depicted by the live orchestra,” the festival announced. “Bonus activities include the SLO Symphony Instrument Petting Zoo and face painting in the plaza!”
There’s so much more at festivalmozaic.org. ∆
Contact Arts Editor Glen Starkey at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in July 16-23, 2026.
