Legendary Willie Nelson performed for an appreciative crowd at Rexall Place last night. (Robert Taylor, Sun Media)

EDMONTON - Willie Nelson is many things, and to his credit at the age of 74, is still evolving.

There may be big acts, classic performers and of course, the hottest rock acts of the day.

But last night Rexall Place hosted Nelson in person, an artist and legend who will always be welcome in Edmonton. He may not sell as many tickets as performers rising up the charts, but despite his pot smokin', tax evadin' ways, there's not a bad word to be heard about ol' Willie.

A GREAT INTRO

Radio station 790 CFCW emceed the event and of course, pitched the newest money-making novelty of the concert being available for sale in a digital format to relive at home. But they also gave Nelson a great intro.

"In the 60s, Willie Nelson was writing hits like Crazy for Patsy Cline and Hello Walls for Faron Young. In the '70s, he was one of the biggest country stars on the planet. In the '80s, Willie was having a whole lotta fun and today, he's a peace activist, and environmental fundraiser and a country music legend."

The crowd actually cheered Nelson onto the stage and when he appeared, were on their feet and roaring while he gave them a great big 'Hello!' wave.

And unlike the hottest rock acts of the day, Nelson has no need for stellar light shows, intricate back drops or enormous guitar stacks packed on ever corner of the stage. Billed as Willie Nelson and Family, the country star appeared on stage with nine players and an enormous Texas flag hung behind them all. He kicked up immediately with Whiskey River, a classic song known by everyone under Rexall's roof that set the groove for his almost two hour performance.

His family consisted of "little sister Bobbie" on the grand piano as usual. But Nelson also had his two youngest sons with him who opened the show with their own band 40 Points. Lukas was playing the electric guitar and was a great addition to Nelson's bluesy feeling as of late while his other son joined the line up of percussionists and as Nelson put it, "And there's my other son Micah playing - well, I don't know what he's playing, but he's playing something back there."

Many other posters at Nelson's merchandise booth were advertising Nelson playing songs from his latest album Last of the Breed, released earlier this year with Ray Price, his mentor from many years ago, and Merle Haggard, his fellow guitar-slinging outlaw. Touring on his own, it would be reasonable to expect a few songs from Nelson's solo album Songbird, which was released last year. But instead, Nelson did his own thing and swung through his decades rich catalog and offered up classics from other country peers like Kris Kristofferson's Me and Bobby McGee.

Wearing black jeans, t-shirt and a big ol' black hat with braids hanging below his belt buckle, Nelson even offered up somewhat of a medley that started with Still is Still Moving to Me and segued into Crazy and then finished on a blues note.

EGO IN CHECK

He's not much of a chatter, but he also has his ego in check. Little sister Bobbie was given the spotlight for a fantastic hopped up honky tonk instrumental before he let his kids take over with Flooding in Texas. Nelson even played with just his sons, introducing the recently written song.

"I asked them, 'Well, what are the words?' And they said, 'There are no words.' So I said, 'Well, let's write some words for it and call the song, There are No Words.

And to the young Nelsons' credit, it was one of the prettiest new Nelson songs this writer has heard in a long time.